If you are like a lot of people in Kentucky, you might feel concerned about the increased risk of being hit by a drunk driver during the holidays. It is common for people to consume alcoholic beverages at social gatherings with coworkers, friends, family members and neighbors during this time of the year and then drive themselves home. While this is not expressly illegal, it is illegal to do so with a blood alcohol content beyond a specific limit. The risks posed by drunk drivers may be heightened over Christmas and New Year’s but do exist all year long.
There is some good news, however. Last year, the number of people who were been killed in drunk driving accidents in Kentucky dropped by a significant amount from 179 in 2017 to 137, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The 2018 impaired fatalities represented 19% of the state’s total vehicular deaths, down from 23% the previous year and down from 25% in both 2014 and 2015. In 2016, drunk driving deaths accounted for 21% of all accident fatalities in Kentucky.
In Scott County, nine people lost their lives at the hands of drunk drivers between 2014 and 2018. That is more than in any neighboring county other than the more populated Fayette County.
If you would like to learn more about how to protect yourself or a loved one after being involved in an accident caused by a drunk driver, please feel free to visit the impaired crash assistance and compensation page of our Kentucky personal injury and motor vehicle accident website.
