When drivers that have been drinking climb behind the wheel of their vehicle, the result can be devastating permanent injuries to innocent motorists in Mississippi drunk driving accidents. While there have been many legal measures taken to reduce the number of drunk driving collisions, including zero tolerance policies for inexperienced teen drivers, mandatory minimum sentences for repeat DUI offenders, ignition interlock programs and other similar DUI prevention policies. These measures have had limited impact on habitual DUI offenders.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has published some enlightening information about habitual drunk drivers who cause drunk driving accidents. The federal agency reports that drivers with a BAC over .15 percent or drivers with a DUI conviction within the last ten years were involved in more than 70 percent of all alcohol related driving fatalities. Data from law enforcement sources is consistent with this finding because 33 percent of all drivers arrested for DUI are repeat offenders.
This data suggests that drunk driving is a problem largely tied to habitual drinkers who are less responsive to alcohol education programs. A Center for Disease Control study found that the average driver arrested for DUI has driven while under the influence of alcohol 88 times before they are arrested. This suggests that most drunk drivers who are actually arrested may be habitual drunk drivers who have been drinking and driving on a regular basis before their first DUI arrest.
When habitual drunk drivers operate a motor vehicle, they can cause serious motor vehicles collisions by failing to negotiate curves, running red lights or stop signs, failing to stop for pedestrians in crosswalks, falling asleep at the wheel and many other types of driver errors. The NTSB has proposed a variety of guidelines that may reduce the number of drunk driving fatalities in Mississippi including the following:
- Increasing the frequency of sobriety checkpoints on a statewide basis
- Implementing programs designed to target drivers who continue driving after having their license suspended for DUI/DWI
- Define a repeat offender as anyone that has been arrested for DUI within the last ten years
- Impose harsher sentences and treatment options aimed at habitual drunk drivers
When you or someone you love is injured or a loved one dies in a collision caused by a habitual drunk driver, the experienced Mississippi drunk driving attorneys at Barrett Law are committed to holding those whose irresponsible conduct causes injury to others accountable for their conduct. The experienced Mississippi tractor-trailer accident attorneys at Barrett Law have been providing effective representation to Mississippi tractor-trailer victims for over 75 years. We provide diligent legal representation and impassioned advocacy so we invite you to call us today at 662-834-2376 to learn how we can help.