Clients throughout Northern California have placed their trust in The Law
Offices of Larry S. Buckley. Our legal team takes all cases seriously,
and we understand that major auto accidents can have a serious impact
on you life and the lives of your loved ones. This is especially true
when the auto accident was caused by a drunk driver. Our attorneys are
prepared to fight for you in these kinds of cases.
The Legal Limit in the State of California
The legal blood alcohol concentration (BAC) in the state of California is 0.08%. This is the usual BAC legal limit in most states.
For drivers under the age of 21, the legal limit is 0.01%, which is essentially a zero tolerance policy for minors and alcohol. The very trace amount of alcohol permitted is to account for a medical or dental procedure or for a religious ceremony that involves alcohol.
Even if a person is within the legal limit for BAC, his or her ability to drive may be severely impaired regardless and can still be arrested for drunk driving.
Why Drunk Driving Is Never Acceptable
When you drink, your motor skills and decision making are both adversely affected. You may experience poor reaction time and a general lack of coordination, and your vision may be affected as well. These issues only get worse the more that you drink, so it's important that you never get behind the wheel of a vehicle when you have been drinking.
Sobering Statistics: Drunk Driving and Auto Accidents
Numbers from the National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration do not lie: drinking and driving is deadly.
There were 9,878 fatalities related to drunk driving in the year 2011. Of those who were killed, 6,507 were drivers with a BAC of 0.08 or greater. 1,612 victims were passengers in the drunk drivers' vehicles. Occupants of other vehicles as well as bicyclists and pedestrians made up the remaining 1,759 alcohol-related fatalities when drivers were at or above the legal limit.
Drivers Need to Be Responsible When They Drink
If you have had a few drinks, be sure to wait until you are sober before driving again. Instead, stay with a friend, have a designated driver with you, use mass transit, or call a taxi. Do not put yourself or others at risk because of poor judgment.
Drunk Drivers Need to Be Held Accountable
When drunk drivers do cause auto accidents, it's imperative that they are held accountable for their actions. In addition to having them pay fines and serve time for breaking the law, they should be made to pay for medical bills, vehicle damage, and other hardships they have caused if their drunk driving resulted in harm to others.
Our attorneys will fight for you to ensure that you receive just compensation from the drunk driver. If the drunk driver's actions led to the loss of a loved one, we will make sure to seek compensation that will help aid in the grieving and coping process.
Learn More About Your Legal Options
For more information about your legal rights after a drunk driver has caused an auto accident, it's important that you contact our personal injury law firm today. We at the Law Offices of Larry S. Buckley will fight diligently for our clients to ensure they receive just compensation following any sort of serious accident.