Drunk driving is one of the leading causes of car accidents in the U.S., and alcohol is connected to many injuries, from mild to life-threatening. This article will outline the top injuries caused by drunk driving, which are marked by blood alcohol content levels (BAC) of 0.08% or higher.
Because there are so many different factors that go into a car accident, it’s difficult to say what is the most dangerous part of driving under the influence – especially because every person reacts differently depending on their size and current health status. As a result, researching how drunk drivers cause injuries is difficult – yet still necessary. There are three main factors to note when studying alcohol-related accidents: the damage caused, the number of survivors, and the number of people killed in each accident. Despite all these factors, it is essential to hire a car accident lawyer in Grand Junction when you are involved in a drunk driving accident.
We will now see the most common injuries caused by drunk driving in Grand Junction.
- Head injuries
Those who are not wearing their seat belts often have an injury to the head. These injuries include head trauma, acquired brain damage from lack of oxygen, brain swelling, and closed head injuries with bleeding in or outside of the brain. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, head injuries are the most common cause of death in severe car accidents in which someone is driving drunk.
- Spinal cord injuries
This type of injury to the spinal cord can be caused by many factors, including a rear-end collision or when drunk drivers are involved in a high-speed crash. These types of injuries usually come with paralysis or loss of feeling or movement below the waist.
- Whiplash
When drunk drivers collide with another car, they can cause a whiplash injury. This is also caused by a rear-end collision, but the shoulders and neck are more vulnerable. Whiplash injuries include painful neck or shoulder pain and muscle spasms.
- Internal organ damages
Drunk drivers who are involved in severe crashes can end up injuring their internal organs, including the brain, intestines, kidneys, lungs, and liver. This type of injury is common because drunk drivers often lose control over their car and drive off the road or crash into a tree or other obstacle.
- Amputation of limbs
In the worst cases, drunk driving accidents can result in the loss of limbs. This is the most dangerous kind of injury someone can have in a drunk driving accident. Some of these amputations are severe enough to affect a person’s life.