Seattle DUI Attorney

Back to Articles main page

DUI: Shocking Facts

Driving under Influence (DUI) of alcohol and drugs is not only a serious crime, it poses a serious hazard to life and property. However, most of us do not realize how rampant this problem is or how serious the consequences involved in DUI can be. We continue to assume that getting charged with DUI is just an inconvenience, or at the most embarrassing.

This article presents some shocking facts about DUI and highlights the social impacts of such a gruesome crime. The article also illustrates why it is simply not worth it:

Fact 1: Accidents related to DUI cause one death every half an hour and injure someone every couple of minutes, somewhere in the country!

Fact 2: Over 17,000 people become victims of drivers who are under the influence of narcotics or alcohol, and lose their lives every year. Out of this, a staggering 2000 are children.

Fact 3: Driving under influence is the biggest reason behind criminal deaths in USA.

Fact 4: Around 1.5 million people are arrested every year for DUI!

Fact 5: This 1.5 million forms less than 1% of the actual instances of DUI in USA. Over 160 million incidents of DUI take place every year.

Fact 6: More than 40% of all deaths caused in motor accidents are associated with DUI.

Fact 7: More than 400 children die every year because they were travelling in a motor vehicle with a driver who was driving under the influence.

Fact 8: People driving under the influence kill about 50 children every year who are pedestrians.

Fact 9: The highest number of DUI related deaths is reported in California, followed by Texas and Florida.

Fact 10: More than 75% of the accused who are charged with Driving under influence are male.

Fact 11: Over 50% of all DUI accidents and deaths take place during weekends, the highest being on Saturdays.

Fact 12: The time after midnight until 4 AM is the most dangerous with over one-third of all DUI related auto-accidents and fatalities taking place during this period.

Fact 13: Drivers who are driving under the influence cause an estimated property loss of over $60 billion each year.

These are some of the startling facts that highlight the high price we as a society and as a nation have to pay due to Driving under Influence (DUI). There have been substantial efforts by all communities and authorities to spread awareness and there have been some encouraging signs in the fight against DUI. There was a 9% decrease in DUI related deaths in the year 2008, as compared to the previous year. However, this is an ongoing battle which has to be fought on all fronts with the help of legal enforcement, education, and technology before we can succeed.

The best defense to DUI is not to Drink and Drive.

Back to Articles main page