Drunk Driving in Wisconsin a Preventable Problem

Intoxicated man giving his car keys to a friend to prevent a drunk-driving accident
Drunk Driving in Wisconsin a Preventable Problem
Intoxicated man giving his car keys to a friend to prevent a drunk-driving accident

While there is no question that drunk driving is an issue in states throughout the nation, this is particularly true in the state of Wisconsin. In fact, according to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, compared to other states, Wisconsin has the highest rate of drunk driving. In 2012, close to 3,000 individuals were hurt in crashes that involved alcohol. Even worse, 223 people died that year. Where motorcycle accidents are concerned, that same year, alcohol played a role in 33 percent of them.

The frustrating thing about accidents that are caused by drunk drivers is that they are completely avoidable and there are multiple steps that can be taken to ensure that drunk drivers don't take to the road. The most obvious is to not get behind the wheel of a car if you are drunk. Instead, you should take a cab, mass transit or ask a friend who is sober to take you home. In the latter instance, determining who will be the sober driver ahead of time is a good idea.

It is likely that at least some of the individuals injured or killed in the state of Wisconsin on 2012, were not doing anything wrong when the incident occurred. Following incidents such as these it is possible that legal action could be taken against the drunk driver by either the injured person or, in the case of death, his or her loved ones. While most would probably agree that money is a poor replacement for the health or life of someone involved in a crash, it could make life for those affected, easier following such an incident.

Source: Wisconsin Department of Transportation, "Drunken driving," Accessed Nov. 3, 2014