According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in 2015 there were 10,265 people were killed in alcohol-impaired motor vehicle accidents, constituting nearly 30 percent of all traffic fatalities. This is just one piece of data collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on their page devoted to the impaired driving problem. The CDC also notes that in 2015, about 1.1 million people were arrested for driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
Now that figure is staggering in its own right, but here’s the kicker: it only constitutes 1 percent of the 111 million self-reported incident of drivers operating a vehicle under the influence of drugs or alcohol. In other words, lots of people are out on the road while intoxicated, and they are getting away with it.
We’re not seeking to “get” these people. But it is important to realize that there are many, many different drivers out on the road right now that are likely intoxicated and simply not exhibiting the signs of a drunk driver. Or perhaps they are, and there’s just no police officer around to observe it. In either case, they present a clear danger to innocent people who are just trying to get to work, or to school, or to go from point A to point B.
Drunk drivers are reckless, irresponsible drivers that deserve to be held responsible not just in criminal court, but civil court too (if they harm other people in an accident).
Source: CDC, “Impaired Driving: Get the Facts,” Accessed July 12, 2017
