Deaths from Drunk Driving Accidents a Serious Problem

Drunk drivers pose serious dangers to New York drivers, passengers, motorcyclists, bicyclists and pedestrians alike.

There is perhaps no way to identify a typical drunk driving accident. These tragic incidents can happen anywhere, anytime. This means that anyone on New York streets can be at risk every day. News stories detailing drunk driving accidents or fatalities caused by drunk drivers make this all too easy to see.

Stories from around the area

The simple act of waiting for a bus can be enough to put someone in danger when a drunk driver is near. A 58-year old man was killed while waiting for a bus on Staten Island. The New York Daily News indicates that the victim was sitting on a bench in the early afternoon when a vehicle came up onto the curb and essentially crushed him. The 25-year old driver was arrested for driving while ability impaired. No other details about the arrest were given in the story.

A 49-year old motorcyclist died after being hit head-on by a vehicle that crossed into the oncoming lane of traffic. According to cnycentral.com, the vehicle driver’s blood alcohol content was measured at 0.21 percent. The legal limit for intoxication is 0.eight percent. The crash happened in the daylight hours of an early Saturday evening in the summertime. The at-fault driver faces charges of first degree vehicular manslaughter and aggravated DWI.

On Long Island, three out of four members of a family died in a fiery crash caused by a 24-year old drunk driver. The impaired driver hit a vehicle carrying a married couple, their four-year old daughter and their eight-year old son. The wife was able to get out of the car but the husband and two children were trapped inside. As flames engulfed the vehicle, the woman could only watch as her husband and children died in the fire.

How many people die in drunk driving accidents in New York?

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there were 364 drunk driving deaths in the state of New York in 2013. That is out of 1,199 total vehicular fatalities. Local county death counts from accidents involving alcohol include the following:

  • In Queens and Kings Counties, 26 people each died at the hands of drunk drivers.
  • Nassau County was the location of 24 drunk driving deaths.
  • In Bronx County, another 14 people lost their lives due to drunk drivers.
  • New York County lost eight people in impaired driving crashes.

The total number of vehicular fatalities in New York County that year was 45.

Help for victims

While there is no way to bring back a lost life, there can be opportunities for compensation when these terrible accidents happen. Family members and victims are encouraged to contact a lawyer as soon as possible after a drunk driving crash.