The Columbia Missouri Police Department is continuing its ongoing efforts to stop impaired drivers with the "You Drink & Drive, You Lose" campaign that runs from Sept. 19-25. As Columbia car accident lawyers, we firmly believe that these efforts are important weapons in the war on drunk driving, which affects everyone on Missouri's roads.
Included in the effort will be various sobriety checkpoints on the weekends, and increased saturation patrols. Grants from the Missouri Department of Transportation have funded this program in Columbia and elsewhere in the state.
So far, Columbia police reported 12 DWI arrests the first weekend of the initiative. This number of arrests is pretty standard for a weekend containing an MU football game, according to Columbia traffic unit supervisor Curtis Perkins.
He went on to say that these type of checkpoints work well to catch impaired drivers, a fact that has been noted not just here in Missouri but internationally as well. Last month a similar checkpoint stopped just under 500 cars and made 15 arrests. Perkins was not at liberty to give out the location or date of this weekend's upcoming checkpoint.
Drunk drivers' records will be checked on the spot, and the DWI arrest might turn into multiple arrests for outstanding warrants.
Missouri Drunk Driver Statistics for 2008
• There were 277 fatal traffic accidents where at least one driver had a BAC of 0.08% or above.
• 310 people died in accidents where at least one driver had a BAC of 0.08% or above
• 364 total deaths where at least one driver had a BAC of 0.01% or above
If you are injured in a car accident with a drunk driver, you may have a different type of injury claim than if alcohol is not a factor. Although driving under the influence is illegal, any criminal proceedings against the driver will not necessarily result in any money given to you. However, along with the settlement award from that driver's insurance company, you might also be able to get punitive damages.
When people are injured due to the carelessness and negligence of a drunk driver, they are frequently and rightfully outraged. Having one's health or life ruined because another person committed an illegal act and showed wanton disregard for other human lives is very upsetting, and adds considerably to the trauma of the accident itself. One of the first questions victims of drunk drivers ask is, "What is my claim worth? How will I be compensated for my suffering?"
Each drunk driving accident is unique and cannot be generalized. Factors that affect the amount of damages you might receive include:
• The amount of the drunk driver's insurance coverage
• The amount of assets he/she has, if you decide to sue for punitive damages
• The severity of the injuries received
• Whether other parties share liability, such as the person who served the alcohol
• Whether or not you share any liability for the accident
To make sure that your rights are protected, and that you fully understand all your options under Missouri's laws, we recommend consulting with an attorney about your case. We offer an initial free consultation to answer any questions you may have and to find out if hiring an attorney is in your best interests. Please call the Columbia drunk driver accident lawyers at Aaron Sachs & Associates, P.C. today. It costs you nothing to find out if we can help you.
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