DUI by Drivers Claims Lives of Many Child Passengers
Alcohol-related auto accidents claim the lives of over ten thousand people per year and account for approximately one-third of all fatal auto accidents.
The completely avoidable loss of life associated with drivers committing DUI is tragic. It is perhaps even more incomprehensible when parents take the risk associated with driving under the influence not just for themselves and others on the road but load their children into their motor vehicle. It is easy to assume that most drunken drivers do not engage in driving under the influence (DUI) with their children in the car, but a wave of stories of Georgia parents driving while intoxicated suggest otherwise.
For example, last year a woman was arrested for suspicion of DUI while driving with her four children in the car as she flew down the road in Cobb County while speeding. According to media reports, the woman’s vehicle easily passed a police patrol car that was going 90 mph. The affidavit for the arrest warrant stated, “"Accused was paced in excess of 90 mph by a marked and calibrated patrol car which was traveling at 90 mph as the accused vehicle was still moving away." The woman now faces multiple criminal charges including driving while intoxicated (DUI), speeding and child endangerment.
It is easy to dismiss this as an isolated incident of one unsafe Georgia driver placing her own life, the lives of other vehicle occupants and pedestrians in danger. Unfortunately, this is not an isolated event. Shortly after that a woman in Clayton County was involved in a crash while police say she was “extremely drunk”. The woman had her children in the car as she plowed into two picnic tables, smashed through a fence and ended up traveling the wrong way down the freeway.
If your child is injured as a passenger in the vehicle of someone committing DUI, you may be able to seek compensation for your child’s injuries. There is no dispute that a DUI-related accident while traveling at a rate of 90 mph can result in catastrophic injuries such as traumatic brain injury, spinal cord damage, paralysis, loss of limbs and even wrongful death. It is also a sad reality that a driver who speeds while under the influence of alcohol while transporting children is also unlikely to insist that child passengers buckle up. Statistics reveal that children buckle up 92 percent of the time when parents in the vehicle use a seat belt but only 72 percent of the time when adult drivers do not wear their seatbelt.
Our Georgia personal injury attorneys represent many people in Atlanta and throughout the state facing terrible auto accident, truck accident and motorcycle accident-related tragedies. The loss of a child is a heart wrenching experience that is unparalleled. We know a parent that has lost a child in a DUI-related accident will be overwhelmed with a mixture of emotions from anger to pain. Our Atlanta DUI accident injury attorneys represent parents who have had a child injured or killed by a drunk driver with compassion and empathy.
If you or a loved one has been injured by a drunken driver in Atlanta or anywhere throughout Georgia, our experienced Georgia DUI accident injury lawyers provide the caring and dedicated representation that our clients have a right to expect. Our Atlanta DUI accident injury lawyers are available to assist clients throughout all of Georgia and the Southeast, including but not limited to Albany, Athens, Atlanta, Augusta, Columbus, Gainesville, Macon, Marietta, Rome, Roswell, Savannah, Smyrna, Valdosta, Warner Robins and all smaller cities and rural areas in the state. No matter where you are located our attorneys are just a phone call away, and we will even come to you. Call us 24 hours a day/7 days a week for your Free Consultation at 1-800-LAW-NEED (1-800-529-6333). You can also visit us online at www.montlick.com and use our Free Case Evaluation Form or 24-hour Live Online Chat.