There are a variety of reasons why car accidents happen, but one of the most common reasons for tragic accidents and fatalities is because of DUI drivers. These are individuals that are operating their cars while intoxicated. As are result of the intoxication, they are disoriented and have a much higher likelihood of getting in an accident.

Sadly, more than one-third of the victims of DUI crashes are not the impaired drivers. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Association, many of those who die in these accidents are in the car that is hit or are passengers. In 2011, statistics show that 9,878 people died in drunk driving accidents. This was one-third of all the individuals that died in traffic-related accidents in the United States. The total number of people that have died in car accidents has dropped in recent years but the proportion of those fatalities that are from DUI crashes has remained the same for the past 10 years.

According to reports, 1,612 of the individuals who died in DUI accidents in 2011 were passengers in cars with drivers that had a BAC of over 0.08%. 1,049 of the individuals killed were occupants that were in other vehicles. 710 were bicyclists or pedestrians that were out on the road and 91 were child passengers of drivers with BACs of 0.08.

NHTSA statistics show that over two-thirds of the people that died in drunk driving crashes were drivers or motorcyclists with BACs of 0.08 or higher. The NHTSA has launched an effort called the "Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over" effort in order to encourage individuals to avoid driving while intoxicated. This is because the government agency says that every three hours drink driving crashes claim a victim who was not driving intoxicated. The U.S. Transportation Secretary says that the initiative to crackdown on DUI drivers will hopefully reduce the amount of DUI accidents that happen out on the road.

The courts often favor victims or families of victims in lawsuits regarding DUI accidents. This is because the individuals often can prove that the driver had a BAC that was above the legal limit, and the courts want to discourage drinking and driving. If your loved one was killed or if you or a loved one was injured in an accident involving an intoxicated driver, then you should certainly make the effort to seek compensation. You may be able to get compensation from property damage and for medical bills associated with their injuries you suffered.

The defendant may also be required to pay for your lost wages while you were recovering, and for punitive damages as a result of the accident. You shouldn't hesitate to seek compensation for these injuries, as the court will typically decide in your favor if you have a convincing case. In some cases, the offender will be prosecuted for a DUI on the criminal level as well. If this is the case, then you can use the records from the criminal trial as evidence that you deserve compensation for your suffering.

In the event that the individual who caused the accident did not have a BAC over 0.08% (the legal limit) you may still be able to prove fault. Oftentimes the courts will still hold an individual responsible for an accident if he or she had readable alcohol content within his or her blood. You will want to partner with an accomplished car accident attorney in your area to learn more about litigation in DUI accidents. Driving under the influence of alcohol is a violation that can be used to prove that a driver was at fault in an accident!