DUI Accidents: Leading Factor in Child Passenger Death and Injuries

Drinking and driving accidents are one of the leading killers of children.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Traffic Safety Facts of 2008, motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for children aged 3 to 14 years old. Further statistics show that every day in the United States, 4 children die and 529 are injured in car accidents.

Driving under the influence (DUI) is a leading factor behind child passenger injuries and fatalities. 1 out of 4 child passenger deaths involved a drunk driver. Of the 1,347 children killed last 2008, as much as 16 percent occurred in drinking and driving accidents.

According to the NHTSA, half of the child passengers were with a driver who had a blood alcohol content (BAC) level of .08 percent or higher. Further, 34 children who were killed in 2008 were pedestrians or bicyclists struck down by a drunk driver.

Drinking and driving is considered impaired driving. DUI is huge problem as drunk drivers are considered a hazard on the road. Since they’re intoxicated, their driving skills, reasoning, and judgment is impaired which can cause crashes.

A blood alcohol content (BAC) as little as .03-.05 percent (the legal limit being .08 percent) can already impair the driver’s concentration and lower his inhibitions. This means he won’t focus his attention on the road and he is more likely to miss traffic signs and signals or even be unaware of his speed which in turn can trigger an accident.

Mothers Against Drunk Driving further state that as often as every minute, a person is injured in an alcohol-related crash and that inevitably, 1 out of 3 Americans will be involved in a DUI crash at least once in their lifetime.

Children however, are even more defenseless in the face of parents or adults who drink and drive. In a study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it was found that the higher the blood alcohol concentration of the child's driver is, the less likely proper child restraint shall be used.

In instances where your child is injured or killed by a drunk driver, you may rightfully press charges against him. Even the mere act of a bus driver or a relative or caregiver driving and drinking can give rise to charges of child endangerment aside from DUI.

To help reduce, if not avoid child passenger deaths due to DUI, always remember to avoid drinking and driving. If you’ve had a few drinks and you have to drive your child somewhere, opt to take a cab or have another designated driver. Also, make sure to teach your kids about safety restraints such as wearing seatbelts and sitting in the back seat so even if they’re riding with other adults, they’d be safer.

Both child passenger deaths and DUI is easy to avoid but even if you make sure to do your best to keep your child safe, you cannot always guarantee the actions of other drivers.

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