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Drunk Driving Accidents in Fort Lauderdale and Elsewhere Alarmingly Common

A fatal drunk driving car accident in Fort Lauderdale landed a driver behind bars for 25 years, according to 7 News. The accident happened back in February of 2011 when the 34-year-old driver struck the vehicle of a 23-year-old man and ended up taking his life.

Just three months after the fatal accident, the driver was pulled over again and was charged for driving on a suspended license. Jurors recently sentenced him to 25 years.

“I hate that man. I hate him. I will never forgive him. Drunk driving has become an epidemic,” said the victim’s father.

Our Fort Lauderdale car accident lawyers understand that the driver was considered a habitual offender, meaning he had charges on his record spanning from robbery and kidnapping to other drunk driving convictions. Prosecutors asked for a 30-year sentence and the judge agreed to 25. With the driver is behind bars he won’t be able to devastate another family like this. Unfortunately, not everyone gets the same severe punishments. As a matter of fact, drivers who are involved in these accidents who return a BAC of .08 or higher are four times more likely to have been involved in a previous drunk driving-related incident.

Drunk driving accidents are taking the lives of far too many innocent drivers every year. According to the most recently released statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there were more than 10,000 people across the nation who were killed in alcohol-related traffic accidents in 2010. The truth of the matter is that all of these accidents could have been prevented and all of those who were killed could be here with us today if drivers practiced a little more responsibility behind the wheel.

Drunk driving car accident-related fatalities in 2010 accounted for about a third of all roadway fatalities for the year. There were more than 700 people killed in alcohol-related crashes in the state of Florida during the year. Florida proved to be one of the most dangerous states in the country for these kinds of accidents. They accounted for 30 percent of all traffic fatalities for the year.

Nearly 60 percent of the drivers who were involved in these accidents throughout the year were really intoxicated. Nearly 7,000 of the drivers involved in fatal accidents who had been drinking had a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .15 or greater. That’s nearly twice the legal limit.

Remember, these are preventable accidents. Be smart and figure out which sober ride you’ll be taking home, whether it’s with a designated driver, a taxi, a bus, etc. Whatever you do, getting behind the wheel after drinking should never be one of your options. It’s a decision that can return some fatal results.

If you or a loved one has been injured or killed in alcohol-related car accident in Fort Lauderdale, Fellsmere, Pompano Beach or in any of the nearby areas, contact the South Florida personal injury attorneys of Freeman, Mallard, Sharp & Gonzalez, LLC to schedule a confidential appointment to discuss your rights. Call 1-800-561-7777.

More Blog Entries:

MAP-21 to Help Reduce Risks of Drunk Driving Car Accidents in Fellsmere and Elsewhere, Fort Lauderdale Car Accident Attorney Blog, March 23, 2012

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