Drinking and driving remains one of the most serious dangers facing motorists on Indiana’s roads. Alcohol can impair judgment, coordination, reaction time, concentration, and the ability to respond to unexpected situations safely.
According to Indiana’s 2024 crash data, 92 people were killed in collisions involving a driver who was legally impaired by alcohol, meaning the driver had a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of at least .08. Indiana recorded 3,492 alcohol-impaired collisions in 2024, 83 of which resulted in at least one death.
The Indiana DUI Injury Lawyers with Fleschner, Stark, Tanoos & Newlin discuss the dangers of drinking and driving and understand that the consequences of a crash can be devastating for victims and their families.
A driver does not have to feel extremely intoxicated for alcohol to affect driving ability. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) explains that alcohol can impair thinking, reasoning, and muscle coordination, which are all abilities that are necessary to operate a vehicle safely.
Even relatively low BAC levels can affect a driver’s ability to safely operate a vehicle. NHTSA reports that at a BAC of .02, drivers can experience declines in visual functions and their ability to perform multiple tasks at the same time. At .05, coordination, steering, and the ability to respond to emergency driving situations can be affected. At .08, drivers can experience impaired perception, information processing, concentration, and speed control.
As an Indiana DUI injury attorney, Caleb Fleschner emphasizes that impaired driving puts everyone sharing the road at risk:
“When someone gets behind the wheel after drinking, they are making a decision that can affect far more than their own safety. Alcohol can impair a driver’s judgment and reaction time, and a single decision to drive impaired can change another person’s life forever. Our concern is always for the innocent people who are injured because someone else chose to drive after drinking.”
Alcohol-impaired drivers may have difficulty maintaining their lane, recognizing hazards, judging distances, or reacting quickly enough to avoid a collision. When an impaired driver causes a crash, the resulting injuries can be severe. Victims may suffer harm that includes:
Some victims may require emergency treatment, hospitalization, surgery, rehabilitation, or long-term medical care. In the most tragic cases, impaired-driving crashes result in fatalities.
Nationally, 11,904 people died in alcohol-impaired-driving crashes in 2024, an average of approximately one death every 44 minutes. Those fatalities represented about 30% of all traffic fatalities in the United States that year. Our Indiana DUI accident attorneys are here to help those harmed and affected by the dangers of drinking and driving.
One common misconception is that a driver is safe to drive as long as they have not reached the legal BAC limit. That is not necessarily the case. NHTSA reports that even alcohol-related crashes involving drivers with BAC levels between .01 and .07 resulted in 2,028 deaths in 2024.
The safest choice after consuming alcohol is not to drive to avoid the risks of causing a DUI crash and injuries to others in Indiana. Drivers can arrange for a designated driver, use a rideshare or taxi, arrange for someone to pick them up, or make plans to stay somewhere safe.
If you are injured in a collision caused by a driver you believe was impaired, there are several steps you can take to protect yourself and preserve evidence.
Some crash injuries may not be immediately apparent. Seek medical attention following a serious collision and follow your healthcare provider’s recommendations. Medical records can also provide important documentation of the injuries you suffered and the treatment you require.
Contact law enforcement following an accident when appropriate. Police officers may investigate whether alcohol or drugs contributed to the collision. A police report may contain important information about the circumstances of the crash, including observations concerning the other driver’s behavior and any testing performed by law enforcement.
If you are physically able, document the accident scene. Take photographs of the vehicles, roadway, property damage, and visible injuries. You should also obtain contact information for witnesses and preserve any other information that may help establish what happened.
Maintain records of medical treatment, medical expenses, prescription costs, lost wages, and other expenses associated with the accident. If your injuries prevent you from working or significantly interfere with your daily life, document those effects as well.
Unlike many hazards on the road, impaired driving is preventable. Drivers can make arrangements before consuming alcohol and avoid getting behind the wheel if they have been drinking.
NHTSA encourages people to plan ahead by designating a sober driver, arranging transportation, or using a rideshare or taxi service. The agency also advises motorists who encounter an apparently impaired driver to pull over and contact law enforcement safely.
At Fleschner, Stark, Tanoos & Newlin, our Indiana Personal Injury Lawyers recognize the dangers and devastating impacts an impaired-driving collision can have on an innocent victim and their family.
If an impaired driver causes a collision, an injured person may face significant medical expenses, lost income, rehabilitation costs, pain and suffering, and other losses. Attorney Caleb Fleschner says, “Victims of impaired-driving crashes shouldn’t have to bear the financial burden of injuries caused by someone else’s decision to drive under the influence. When a crash results in serious injuries, we believe the circumstances should be thoroughly investigated, and the rights of the injured person should be protected.”
Now that our Indiana DUI injury lawyers have discussed the dangers of drinking and driving, if you or someone you love has been injured in an accident caused by an impaired driver, contact Fleschner, Stark, Tanoos & Newlin to discuss your potential claim with an experienced Indiana personal injury attorney. Our firm also represents individuals injured in truck crashes, motorcycle collisions, pedestrian accidents, and bicycle crashes.
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The financial burden that often comes with a serious injury can be too much for many people to bear. Unexpected medical debt, damaged personal property, and the sudden loss of income can impact the budgets of most families. The good news is that a successful injury claim could help reduce that financial strain after a serious accident. Get in touch with a Terre Haute personal injury lawyer with Fleschner, Stark, Tanoos & Newlin to learn more.
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