There has been a very large effort to stop drinking and driving in Illinois. There are commercials, billboards and other efforts to inform people of the dangers of drinking and driving. When people drive under the influence, they have slow reaction times, do not think clearly and are not aware of their surroundings. This is a very dangerous combination when people are operating large vehicles at high rates of speed. Unfortunately, the efforts have not worked and many people drink and drive each year.
In 2017, 27,046 arrests were made for DUIs in Illinois. Not everyone arrested for DUI caused a car accident but many drunk drivers did. The severity of the accidents does vary, but many leave the victims with serious injuries and other accidents killed many people. In 2017, 330 people were killed in accidents with drunk drivers. That means that approximately 30 percent of all fatal crashes were caused by drunk drivers. It also means that many people would be living if it were not for the terrible decision of others to drink and drive.
It can be very devastating for the family and friends of the victim as well. The family is left unexpectedly grieving the loss of a loved one. The victims provide love and support to family members that can be extremely difficult to replace. They also may provide financial support to the family, which is suddenly gone. So, not only is the family grieving, but they may also need to start worrying about simply paying their bills each month. However, the family may be able to receive compensation for their loss, which can at least help with the financial burdens.
It is very unfortunate that many people in Illinois decide to drive after they have drank too much. It is a very dangerous decision to make and can lead to car accidents and deaths of innocent victims. When people are killed in these accidents the families of the victims are left in very difficult situations. They can be devastating both emotionally and financially. While nothing will ever bring the victim back, the families could be entitled to compensation to ease the financial difficulties. Experienced attorneys understand this and could guide one through the process.
