North Carolina's Latest Drunk Driver Crackdown Begins on Friday
Beginning Friday, state and local police officers in North Carolina will intensify their patrol for drunk drivers using patrols and checkpoints. The statewide campaign, coordinated by the North Carolina Governor’s Highway Safety Program, is called “Booze It & Loose It” and will run until September 1.
Last year, over 500 alcohol-related motor vehicle accidents happened in North Carolina for the period beginning August 17 through September 3, 2007. 27 people died and 400 others sustained injuries.
The total number of drunk driving-related deaths in North Carolina for 2007 was 488 victims, while over 9,000 people sustained serious injuries. For the entire year of 2007, 488 people died in North Carolina in drunk-driving related accidents and over 9,000 people suffered serious injuries.
On August 8, 2008, North Carolina conducted a one-day statewide “Booze it and Lose It” anti-drunk driving blitz. 454 people were cited for DWI. State and local police also filed 2,047 speeding charges and 190 drug charges. Seatbelt violations numbered 808, and 185 citations for safety violations related to child passengers were issued.
Drunk Driving
Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs is against the law. In North Carolina, getting caught drunk driving with a blood alcohol concentration of .08% or greater can be grounds for criminal charges. A drunk driver that injures or kills a pedestrian or another motorist can be sued for personal injury or wrongful death.
General drunk driving statistics (from MADD Web site):
• 17,602 people in the US died in auto crashes involving drunk drivers in 2006.
• Close to 50 people a day are killed in drunk-driving related accidents.
• 275,000 people are injured in this country every year in collisions involving alcohol.
State to check for drunken drivers, The News & Observer.com, August 13, 2008
North Carolina Runs Special 'Booze it & Lose it' Blitz, Insurance Journal, August 8, 2008
Related Web Resources:
North Carolina Department of Transportation
Labor Day Campaign: "Booze It and Lose It," August 15 - September 1, 2008, NCDOT.org (PDF)
Contact the Law Offices of Michael A. DeMayo, LLP to request your free consultation with an experienced North Carolina car crash lawyer.
