Utah Drunk Driving Arrests on the Rise

According to national traffic safety experts, the daily death toll from drunk driving crashes during the Christmas and New Year’s holiday period is significantly more than during the rest of the year. A report presented to state legislators indicates that Utah has the lowest percentage of fatalities attributable to driving under the influence in the nation. The most recent statistics demonstrate that the United States average for traffic fatalities involving alcohol is 41%. In Utah, DUI accounts for 22% of road fatalities. However, the report indicates there is an upward trend in the number of arrests for driving under the influence in Utah. Last year, there was an increase of 639 arrests to a total of 15,300.

States taking Action to Stop Drunk Driving Accidents

Several states are taking additional action to reduce the number tragic deaths resulting from alcohol related traffic accidents. The State of New York recently passed legislation named “Leandra’s Law” which increases the punishment from a misdemeanor to a felony when a motorist drives under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs with passengers that are under the age of 16. The new legislation is named after a 11 year-old Leandra Rosado was killed on October 11, 2009, when her friend’s mother, who was driving drunk, rolled the vehicle Leandra was a passenger of.

NBC reports that more than 12,000 children under 14 died in alcohol-related traffic accidents between 1994 and 2000, according to a recent report of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. NHTSA found that in 64 percent of those deaths, the child was in the car with the drunken driver. Online polling after the NBC report demonstrated that 75% of New Yorkers were pleased with the new legislation on drunk driving which has caused other states’ legislatures to consider tightening their DUI laws as well.

Utah taking enough action to reduce DUIs?

In the 2009 during the Halloween blitz, the Salt Lake Tribune reports that there were 124 DUI related arrests made by the Utah Highway Patrol during that Saturday evening alone. UHP Sergeant estimates that there are typically 40 percent more drunk driving deaths when the holiday is on a weekend. UHP is pleased to report that there were no DUI crashes or fatalities this past Halloween; however, there were numerous drunk driving arrests made. Many of the arrests found minor is the possession of alcohol or parents driving drunk with their children in the back seat. This presents a social problem for Utahns. How do we stop drunk driving? It is safe to assume that we all agree that minors and alcohol should never mix. Zero Tolerance is already in effect in the state. If Utah implemented a felony punishment for those persons caught driving under the influence of alcohol and with children as passengers; would that help curb the number of DUI motorists on Utah roads?

An Experienced Wrongful Death Attorney Can Help

In cases where such negligence or wrong doing is involved, such as drunk driving, families of the deceased victim may file what is known as a wrongful death claim. An experienced Utah personal injury attorney can help you through this difficult time. In Utah a wrongful death case can be brought by the legal heirs of the person whom died as a result of the Utah accident. Only one single claim can be made on behalf of all heirs, but each of the heirs are entitled to a settlement. It is extremely beneficial to contact a Salt Lake City personal injury attorney specializing in fatal accident claims to ensure that the case is fully settled, so that legal heirs will not appear later to collect against the settlement. If you have lost a loved one in an accident, it is important to educate yourself before making any legal decisions. Visit www.UtahAccidentBook.com and get your free copy of attorney Ken Christensen's Utah Accident Book "7 Biggest Mistakes That Can Wreck Your Utah Accident Case." It's free!