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Health & Fitness

Drinking and Driving Accidents on the Rise in Pennsylvania

Death and Destruction is causally related to Drinking and Driving, but yet, it continues in Pennsylvania. 

Clearly, we all know that drinking and driving is bad, so why is it still so prevalent in Pennsylvania?

It's bad enough that you or a loved one are involved in a serious motor vehicle accident and injured due to the negligence of another. The emotional and physical trauma you experience as a result of the accident is multiplied when you discover that the negligent conduct of the other driver and your injuries were as a result of the irresponsible consumption of alcohol on the part of the other driver. At Snyder & Wiles, PC, our alcohol liability attorneys understand the specific emotional components and legal aspects of drunk driving accidents. Car accidents occur in a split second, but cause tragic and permanent injuries lasting a lifetime. Even more tragic is the needless wrongful death of a loved one due to a drunk driver, bar, liquor store, restaurant or social club serving alcohol to an intoxicated person and never once considering the consequences of their actions.

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The statistical data in Pennsylvania and Nationally when it comes to Drunk Driving and Victims of Alcohol Accidents is staggering. The Pennsylvania & National Drunk Driving Accident Statistics for 2010 reveal the following:

 • While there was a decrease from previous years, there were still 12,426 alcohol-related vehicle accidents in Pennsylvania.

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 • An increase was reflected in the number of deaths. 459 fatalities that involved alcohol in Pennsylvania, which accounted for 35% of all traffic collision deaths.

 • Nearly one-third (31%) of driver deaths ages 16-20 were drinking drivers, which is an increase from 2009.

 • One-half (50%) of deaths ages 21 to 25 were drinking drivers, up from 44% in 2009. The 26-30 age range improved to 45%, down from 51% in 2009.

 • Nearly three-fourths (72%) of drinking drivers in crashes were male.• The majority of alcohol-related crashes occurred when it was dark, usually on the weekends.

 • 34 alcohol-related crashes occurred in Pennsylvania every day (on average).

 • 26 people were injured in alcohol-related crashes in Pennsylvania every day (on average).

 • The most frequently recorded BAC level among drinking drivers in fatal crashes was .17, which is more than twice the legal limit.Pennsylvania Drunk Driving Car Accident Statistics (2009)

• More than 10,800 crashes in PA involved drinking drivers; 215 of them were fatal.

 • Nearly 450 people died in 2009 because of an alcohol-related accident in Pennsylvania.

 • For drivers ages 16 to 20 involved in fatal crashes, 27 percent of them involved alcohol.

 • For drivers ages 21 to 25, 44 percent of drivers killed had been drinking.

 • In 2009, 36 percent of the total traffic deaths were alcohol-related.

 • Nearly three-quarters of drinking drivers in PA were male.

 • Most alcohol-related crashes happened at night, usually during the weekends (72 percent).

 • On average, 26 people were injured in alcohol-related crashes every day in PA.

 • There were 1,294 underage drinking drivers involved in crashes in PA in 2009.

 At Snyder & Wiles, PCGladys Wiles understands the specific emotional components and legal aspects of drunk driving accidents. Car accidents occur in a split second, but cause tragic and permanent injuries lasting a lifetime. Even more tragic is the needless wrongful death of a loved one due to a bar, liquor store, restaurant or social club serving alcohol to an intoxicated person and never once considering the consequences of their actions. To read more, check out our website at www.snyderwileslaw.com. For a free consultation call 610-391-9500.

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