Is Drunk Driving a Problem in Missouri and Kansas

If you obey the law and don’t drive after consuming alcohol, you may not realize the risk you and your family face from drunk drivers.

Unfortunately, intoxicated motorists cause accident victims in Kansas and Missouri to suffer catastrophic injuries or death.

How Bad Is the Problem of Drunk Driving Accidents?

While there have been many public service campaigns to warn people of the real dangers of drinking and driving, too many people still make the wrong choice.

In Missouri and Kansas, people have reasons to be concerned. Here are some recent statistics at press time:

• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that 10,497 people were killed in drunk driving accidents in 2016—resulting in 28 percent of all fatalities in collisions.
• Further, 17 percent of children between 0–14 who died in car crashes were killed by intoxicated drivers in 2016.
• According to MADD, in Missouri, 244 victims—or 26 percent of all fatalities—are killed in drunk driving crashes annually.
• The Kansas Department of Transportation indicated 85 victims were killed and 1,162 were injured due to alcohol-related collisions in the state in 2016.
• In Missouri, eight people died due to alcohol or other drug intoxication in Kansas City and one person was killed in Lees Summit in 2016.
• In Kansas, there were 108 alcohol-related accidents in Kansas City and 161 in Overland Park in 2016.

Who presents the greatest risk of causing a drunk driving accident? According to the CDC, younger drivers are more prone than older ones. Data from 2016 reveals of all drivers with a blood alcohol content (BAC) level of 0.08 percent or higher involved in accidents causing fatalities, three out of 10 were between the ages of 25 and 34.

How Does Alcohol Affect Driving Abilities?

Driving after consuming alcohol can reduce a person’s driving skills in key ways that are necessary to anticipate dangerous situations and avoid causing an accident. At a BAC level of just 0.02 percent, abilities are already impaired.

Some of the negative ways alcohol affects vehicle operation include:

• Vision
• Judgment
• Problems with concentration and memory
• Reaction time
• Drowsiness
• Ability to evaluate distances

Have You Been Injured By A Drunk Driver?

If you’ve been injured by a drunk driver you need to speak with an experienced drunk driving

victim attorney as soon as possible. Please contact us online or call our Kansas City office directly at 816-471-5111 to schedule your free consultation.

Related Articles

• Is an Hour Long Enough to Wait When Driving After Drinking?
• Man Ejected and Killed in Drunk Driving Accident on I-670
• Parent of Kansas City Drunk Driving Victim Sue Party Hosts
• Football player arrested on DWI charge
• Do Drunk Drivers Survive Accidents