Drunk Driving In Florida
A teenager who got behind the wheel while impaired may have thought that he was just being a typical teen. Maybe he wasn’t thinking at all. But when he put those keys into the ignition and headed down the road, there was a pretty good chance things wouldn’t end well. And they didn’t. By the end of the night, six people were dead after being rear-ended at high speeds. The teen? He survived with only minor injuries.
Statistics Worth Knowing
DUI—driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs—resulted in over 800 deaths in 2021, in addition to well over 15,000 injuries. Tragically, Florida ranks in the top three states with the number of alcohol related fatalities per capita.
Preventing Drunk Driving
As more and more families are impacted by drunk driving, attitudes toward the behavior are beginning to harden. What was once readily accepted behavior by many is slowly becoming taboo. What can be done to reduce the heartbreak related to drunk driving?
- Plan ahead and take advantage of ride shares; then you can socialize and enjoy a night out without having to worry about getting home safely.
- When you’re with a group, assign a designated driver who doesn’t drink alcohol to get everyone home at the end of the night.
- Consider spending the night at the home of a trusted friend if you’ve over imbibed.
- Enjoy yourself without drinking.
- Parents should discuss the effects of alcohol with their kids, and make sure they are aware of the calamitous effects of driving after drinking. The impacts must be understood by teen drivers, and parents simply must make sustained efforts to monitor teen behavior.
Florida DUI Laws
A DUI conviction is a serious legal problem in the Sunshine State. Depending on a number of previous convictions one has and the blood alcohol level, at the time of the arrest, a defendant could face fines ranging from $500 to $4,000. Additionally, it could mean jail time ranging from six months to five years. The vehicle could be impounded for between 10 and 90 days, and additional penalties like having an ignition interlock system installed on one’s vehicle, getting a suspended driver license, and being required to take various classes could all be consequences. When property damage, injuries, or fatalities occur due to drunk driving, the penalties could result in up to $30,000 in fines and 30 years in prison.
When Penalties aren’t Enough
If you or a family member has been injured or killed as a result of a drunk driver losing control, no amount of fines or jail time will soothe your wounds. The compassionate, knowledgeable Kissimmee personal injury lawyers at Salazar & Kelly Law Group understand this. Nonetheless, they also know that financial remuneration to address your fiscal and emotional losses are warranted. To discuss your loss, contact our office today.
Source:
fox13news.com/news/florida-teen-driving-under-the-influence-kills-6-in-rollover-crash-sheriff-says
