Effects of Alcohol and How They Impact Alaska DUI Accidents
Drunk driving is a serious offense that involves criminal penalties and a driver’s license suspension, but the potential punishment is not enough to deter some motorists from getting behind the wheel while intoxicated. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), DUI accidents comprise 28% of all fatalities from motor vehicle collisions. Worse, up to 111 million individuals self-report that they have driven while drunk in the last year, though they were never apprehended. As such, drunk driving accidents remain a risk for all Alaska motorists.
If you were hurt in a DUI crash, it is essential to get in touch with an Anchorage DUI accident lawyer right away. You may qualify to recover compensation for your losses, but the process is complicated even if the intoxicated motorist was arrested. In addition, you might benefit from reviewing some information on how consumption of alcohol increases the potential for serious collisions.
How Alcohol Impairs Driving
In criminal law, officials will typically base drunk driving charges upon the motorist’s blood alcohol concentration (BAC) as measured by a chemical test. BAC directly relates to the ability to drive, so blowing in excess of .08% could lead to an arrest. However, BAC affects the human body in ways that impair the driver and increase the potential for crashes. For instance:
- At .02%, the driver is already feeling relaxed and looses some judgment. There is also a decline in vision and ability to perform multiple tasks at once.
- When the motorist is at the legal limit, concentration and perception are markedly impaired. The person may lack muscle coordination and have difficulties perceiving dangers on the road.
- At a BAC of .15 or higher, the driver has lost almost all control over muscle movement and balance.
Legal Remedies After a DUI Accident
Drunk driving is a crime in Alaska, but the possibility of jail time, fines, and probation does nothing to compensate for victims’ losses. Instead, your legal options are civil in nature, as you seek monetary damages for your medical costs, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other consequences.
To obtain compensation in a civil lawsuit for any type of accident, you must prove that the at-fault motorist breached the duty to exercise reasonable care when operating a vehicle. In a DUI collision, showing that the other driver was intoxicated is solid evidence of negligence. Because the standard of proof in a civil claim is lower than a criminal matter, it is not necessary that the other motorist was arrested for driving drunk.
Set Up a Consultation With an Alaska DUI Accident Attorney
Recovering compensation after a drunk driving crash is not as clear-cut as you expect. Do not put your rights and remedies at risk by trying to represent yourself. You can trust our team at Power & Power Law, so please contact our Anchorage, Alaska office for more information. We can help you exercise your legal options after reviewing your unique circumstances.