Illinois Personal Injury Lawyer Blog
In an attempt to make the roadways safer, and cut down on personal injuries and deaths on American highways, recently the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has called on state authorities to reduce the legal limit for alcohol intoxication to 0.05 percent. All 50 states currently have a blood alcohol content (BAC) limit of 0.08 percent for drivers 21 years old and over. While the NTSB does not have the power to change state laws (such as here in Illinois where the legal limit for those 21 years and older remains at 0.08 percent) its initiative on the lower limit could pressure regulators to adopt the stricter rule. This is part of the NTSB’s “Reaching Zero” campaign to help reduce alcohol-related accidents and increase awareness about the dangers of drinking and driving. A link to the NTSB safety report entitled, “Reaching Zero: Actions to Eliminate Alcohol-Impaired Driving” can be found by clicking here. All personal injury attorneys work towards not only getting compensation for those who are injured but also help reduce the number of incidents that cause personal injuries and wrongful deaths; this initiative is focused squarely on that purpose through not only a reduction in the “legal limit” but also through a strong campaign of high visibility enforcement and education on the injury dangers of impaired driving. The statistics are grim when it comes to car and truck accident injuries: one in three U.S. highway deaths involves an alcohol-impaired driver, according to the NTSB. This does not include thousands of serious non-fatal personal injuries suffered as a result of drivers who operate cars and trucks while under the influence of alcohol. Per the NTSB, in 2010 there were 292 fatalities in Illinois attributed to impaired driving — 292 people lost their lives as a result of someone being impaired while behind the wheel. That is a number that needs to be reduced immediately. If you or someone you know has been involved in an accident, whether alcohol was a factor or not, you should contact an experienced personal injury attorney as soon as possible. Only an attorney familiar with accident cases can properly counsel you on your rights with respect to what happened, and what type of compensation you may be entitled to.