DWI and Teens

Driving while intoxicated leads to thousands of deaths each year and may be the number one preventable cause of loss of life. Let us consider some of the facts about drunk driving in this blog.

*Annually there is an average of 40,000 highway deaths each year. Forty percent of these are attributable to drunk drivers. That means anywhere from 16,000 to 18,000 lives could possibly be saved if inebriated persons made the choice to find another way to their destination other than getting behind the wheel of their car when drunk.

*The latest ‘catch-phrase’ is ‘buzzed-driving’ and it’s more than just the subject for some fifteen second public service announcements. You see in many states a person is considered legally intoxicated when their blood alcohol content level registers 0.08 but there are certainly similar behaviors that occur when a person’s BAC is 0.05 (or lower), 0.06, and 0.07. These include diminished reaction times and increased bravado that leads to greater chance-taking.

*The level of intoxicated at which a teen is considered drunk is 0.02 in most states. This is interesting because the fact is that teen drinking is illegal.  That should mean that they should only register a 0.00. Now, while I realize this may be unrealistic in a country that courts youth with advertisements about the glamour of drinking – it behooves a parent to counter these messages – before they find their teen and/or themselves at the defense counter in a courtroom.

Drinking and driving is a bad combination. Teens need to know the real consequences of drunk driving accidents. There are folks such as Krystas Karing Angles that tour schools with wrecked vehicles to help educate young drivers of the dangers of drinking and driving. I urge you to support them.  

Greg Baumgartner is a Houston DWI accident lawyer and the founder of the Baumgartner law firm, which is dedicated to helping injury victims seek civil justice. For a free no obligation consultation with a Texas personal injury lawyer call the Baumgartner firm. toll free at 866-758-4529.