Since its founding in 1980, Mothers Against Drunk Driving has worked tirelessly to create awareness about the dangers of drinking and driving. Other advocacy groups and law enforcement agencies have also collaborated with this mission.
Over the years, the laws governing drunk driving and the penalties associated with an impaired driving offense have also increased. Unfortunately, these efforts seem to be unable to prevent some people from making highly dangerous decisions.
New York’s drunk driving fatalities
In the five years spanning from 2014 through 2018, overall traffic fatalities in New York declined. Unfortunately, records from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration show that the percent of overall deaths from drunk driving accidents actually increased during these five years.
In 2014, 28% of all fatalities in vehicular accidents involved alcohol. That rose to 30% the following year before dropping slightly for two years. Then, in 2018, alcohol was found to be a contributing factor in 33% of the state’s total vehicular deaths. Across the United States, the average in that year was 29%, putting New York clearly above that threshold.
Drunk driving deaths in Albany and Saratoga Counties
Albany and Saratoga Counties both recorded a significantly higher number of drunk driving deaths between 2014 and 2018 than any of their neighboring counties. Between these two counties, 64 lives were lost at the hands of drunk drivers during this time.
If you have lost a loved one at the hands of a reckless drunk driver in New York, consult with an experienced attorney who understands the nuances of these difficult events.