Congress is making its most significant attempt yet at stopping drunk driving and the preventable injuries and deaths that occur in vehicle accidents. Every year more than 10,000 people die due to drunk driving, whether as drivers, passengers or pedestrians. As part of a trillion-dollar infrastructure bill, automakers will have to include some sort of technology in all the new vehicles, which would monitor drivers’ performance to determine if they are drunk.
With this new technology, the number of alcohol-related injuries and deaths can be reduced dramatically. No more daughters, sons, husbands, wife’s or grandchildren will be dying or injured due to drunk drivers. We at Rheingold Giuffra Ruffo Plotkin & Hellman LLP are very excited for this new technology proposed to go into effect. Although it is years into the future, it is definitely a step in the right direction.
There is one alcohol-related death every 52 minutes in America, according to NHTSA. In 2018 “more than 230 children were killed in drunk-driving crashes.” Each year, drunk driving cost around $44 billion in deaths and damages
Statistics show that in most states, more than 30% of fatalities involve alcohol. According to the New York Times, “68 percent of fatal drunken-driving accidents in 2019 involved drivers with a blood-alcohol concentration of 0.15 percent.”
New York Drunk Driving
- According to New York State Police, “more than 30% of the fatal crashes are alcohol related.”
- From 2009-2018 3,233 people were killed in alcohol-related crashes.
- In 2018, 5,340 people were injured due to alcohol-related accidents.
- In 2018 25, 094 people were arrested for driving under the influence.
Just on July 23 of this year, a drunk driver named David Poncurak slammed his car into a mother and her 8-month-old baby, pinning them down at a barbershop in Yonkers. The mother was walking when she suddenly had a car plowed into her and the baby. Had it not been for the quick action of the cops, they would not have survived.
The Technology to Prevent Tragic Deaths
It is not clear precisely what the technology will be. The bill mentions that the technology must monitor a driver’s performance and identify if the said person may be under the influence.
There currently exist intelligent brake systems to predict collisions and blind-spot sensors, all in an effort to reduce accidents.
Organizations like Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) are very excited about the provision from the infrastructure package, which they said can save thousands of lives.
This technology will force those who continue to drive recklessly to stop their behavior. Although this technology will not be implemented for a couple of years, we are excited to see the positive results it will bring.
Have you or someone close to you have been harmed in a motor vehicle accident? We at Rheingold Giuffra Ruffo Plotkin & Hellman LLP are currently helping victims of accidents. Our firm offers you the advice and communication you require to find comfort during this challenging time. Please contact us today online or by telephone at (212) 684-1880 to speak with an experienced nationwide hernia mesh recall lawyer. Our law office is conveniently located in Midtown Manhattan at 551 5th Ave.
