This time of year, numerous people in Tennessee and elsewhere will be attending social events where alcohol is available for consumption. Unfortunately, many of them will fail to plan ahead and end up driving home while impaired. Sadly, some of them will cause motor vehicle accidents that have serious — if not fatal — consequences.
Various organizations, including the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration and the National Commission Against Drunk Driving, have named December National Drunk and Drugged Driving Prevention Month. They want people to understand just how dangerous drunk driving is and how many people it negatively affects every year. The hope is, that by educating the public, fewer people will choose to drink and drive, not only this holiday season but just in general.
According to the NCADD, in the last two decades, it is believed that 17,000 Americans have died in drunk driving-related car accidents. In that same time, over 700,000 people have suffered injuries in such events. Every single year, police across the country arrest over 1.5 million people for driving while impaired by alcohol. In other words, this is not a small issue.
Tennessee residents who have been injured or lost loved ones in drunk driving-related motor vehicle accidents may feel lost. The physical, emotional and financial consequences they are experiencing are, undoubtedly, taking a significant toll on their lives. Thankfully, the state allows these individuals to seek compensation for their losses through legal means. Legal counsel can help them file the appropriate claims against those responsible for their losses in an effort to seek maximum relief.