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4 Quick Questions About Drunk Driving Accidents In Charlotte, NC

By Brown Moore

February 06, 2020

Home News & Resources 4 Quick Questions About Drunk Driving Accidents In Charlotte, NC

Most people understand that drinking and driving are not safe. However, despite heavy law enforcement activity and endless public service announcements, impaired driving continues to wreak havoc on our roadways. 

At Brown, Moore & Associates, PLLC, our Charlotte drunk driving accident attorneys want to discuss some common questions we hear about these incidents. 

     1. How Often Do Drunk Driving Accidents Occur?

It is helpful to look at statistics about how drunk driving affects our area. According to the North Carolina Department of Transportation, there were 11,345 total crashes caused by alcohol-impaired drivers during the latest reporting year. Out of these incidents, there were:

  • 411 fatalities 
  • 7,602 injuries

     2. How Dangerous Is Drunk Driving?

The NC DOT says that alcohol-impaired crashes were responsible for 28.5% of all fatal traffic incidents during the latest reporting year. That is an astounding figure, and it highlights just how dangerous drunk driving is for those on the roadway. However, the 411 alcohol-related crash fatalities in the latest reporting year do not give us the whole picture. Thousands more were injured, many of them seriously. It is not uncommon for the Charlotte drunk driving accident attorneys at Brown, Moore & Associates, PLLC to help clients who have sustained the following:

    3. How Many Drinks Does It Take To Be Drunk?

Many people commonly ask how many drinks it takes to reach the legal limit, which in North Carolina is .08 blood alcohol concentration (BAC). There are many factors that go into how many drinks it takes to reach this limit. Every person is different, and body weight plays a major factor in these situations. 

The fact is that impairment begins below .08 BAC. For example, a 160-pound person who drinks 2 beers within an hour will likely have a BAC of .02. While this is below the legal limit, studies show that this person will be 1.4 times more likely to cause an accident than somebody who is sober. Scientific research shows that driving skills deteriorate rapidly when a person reaches .02 BAC. 

    4. At .08 BAC, What Are The Chances Of An Accident?

When a driver reaches .08 BAC, the point where they could receive a DUI, they are 11 times more likely to cause an accident than someone who has not been drinking. When a driver reaches .10 BAC, they are 48 times more likely to cause an accident than someone who is sober. 

Even if a driver’s BAC only increases slightly, their chances of getting into a car accident increase exponentially. 

What You Can Do Moving Forward

If you or somebody you care about has been injured in an accident caused by a drunk driver, seek legal assistance today. An experienced Lawyer R. Kent Brown at Brown, Moore & Associates, PLLC, wants to investigate what happened and works to secure the compensation you need. This can include:

  • Coverage of your medical bills 
  • Lost income if you cannot work 
  • Pain and suffering damages 
  • Possible punitive damages against the drunk driver 

When you need a Charlotte drunk driving accident attorney, you can contact us for a free consultation by clicking here or calling us at 800-948-0577.