After excessive drinking, a young man from McHenry got into his vehicle and zoomed down the I-110 in Biloxi, careening into the rear end of another car at 90 mph. The driver of that car, and the man’s 5-year-old daughter, both received fatal injuries. The drunk driver was understandably sorry for what happened, and wished he could rewind that night so that none of it would have happened.
Of course, that is impossible.
Two young lives were lost, and others have been forever altered. No amount of remorse will change that harsh reality.
If you are reeling from the effects of a drunk driving accident, you should know that a local personal injury attorney can fight for some level of justice on your behalf.
Impaired Driving Statistics
Drivers who get behind the wheel when they are incapacitated wreak havoc on roadways across the country, including right here in Mississippi:
- In 2016 Mississippi ranked sixth in the country for the number of DUI fatalities.
- 175 individuals were killed in DUI in Mississippi in 2016.
- There were nearly 7,000 DUI arrests in 2016 in our state.
- Nearly one in five traffic fatalities in this state were related to drunk driving in 2016;
- There are more drunk drivers in this country exceeds the total populations of most other countries;
- Over 10,000 lives are lost in drunk driving incidents annually in America;
Penalties for Drunk Driving
The legal blood alcohol content (BAC) level in Mississippi is .08 percent for individuals aged 21 and older. For underage drinkers, the limit is .02 percent, and for commercial truck drivers, the limit is .04 percent. Any driver may be tested by a law enforcement officer if suspected of inebriation, either with a breathalyzer or a blood test, or both. If the BAC exceeds the legal limit, legal consequences are serious:
Driver’s license will be suspended or revoked for anywhere from 90 days to five years;
- A first offense is punishable by up to a $1000 fine and up to 48 hours behind bars, and a requirement to attend an alcohol education class;
- A second offense may lead to up to $1500 in fines and as much as a year of imprisonment and up to a year of community service
- You will be warned that you may have to forfeit your vehicle if there is a third offense;
- You will be assessed and possibly be required to undergo treatment;
- A third offense may result in up to five years in prison and $5000 in fines;
- It may lead to the seizure of a vehicle.
Penalties differ to some degree for those who are under age 21 or who are commercial drivers, but are certainly still severe.
If You Are the Victim of a Drunk Driver’s Recklessness
When someone makes the choice to get behind the wheel after drinking, they choose to put everyone in their path at risk of serious injury or death. If you or a loved one winds up paying the consequences of a drunk driver’s poor choices, contact the heavy hitting legal team at the office of Derek L. Hall, PC. You deserve a tenacious advocate, and that’s exactly what we can provide. Call our Jackson office for a free consultation today.
Resources:
