FHP Officers Alarmed by Rising Blood-Alcohol Levels in Drivers

By Orlando Personal Injury Attorney on June 4, 2011

A recent drunk driving accident illustrated the dangers that impaired drivers present to themselves and anyone else on the road. A drunk driver involved in an accident with a school bus in south Lake County this year had a blood-alcohol level that doctors say would be lethal to most people. The 54-year-old driver had a BAC of 0.426 percent, more than five times the 0.08 percent level that is considered legally drunk in Florida. Florida Highway Patrol officers were not surprised that the driver survived the accident, but were astonished that he survived imbibing a lethal dose of alcohol.

“It’s amazing he was even able to stand up,” Assistant State Attorney Emily Brinkman said of the driver, who is charged with driving under the influence. “I don’t know if I’ve even heard of a higher one.”

As FHP officers and other law enforcement agencies increased patrols and staged checkpoints to catch drunk drivers over the Memorial Day holiday weekend, they found that efforts to curb drunk driving are not working. Current trends indicate rising, not declining, blood-alcohol levels in drivers involved in drunk driving accidents. FHP spokesperson Sgt. Kim Montes said she could recall at least ten recent alcohol related accidents where the driver had a BAC three or four times the legal limit.

“It seems like we’re seeing higher BACs [blood-alcohol content levels] now than we used to,” she said. “In these cases, it’s not like the driver had one or two drinks. They’ve had to have had four or five or more. They had to know they were impaired.”

Orlando personal injury lawyer James O. Cunningham would like to remind readers that it is everyone’s responsibility to report suspected drunk driving when they see it and look out for friends and family members who have had too much to drink. Our state is near the top of the list each year for states with the most drunk driving accidents, deaths and injuries, and if BACs are trending upward, we have a very dangerous situation. If you are driving and see someone operating a vehicle whom you think has been drinking, do the right thing. Pull over, and call local police on your cell phone. You may help prevent a drunk driving accident and save lives. If you are drinking with friends and relatives and see someone who is obviously drunk, offer him or her a ride home or call a cab.

If a drunk driver has injured you or a close family member, do the right thing for yourself and your family, and call Orlando personal injury attorney James O. Cunningham to schedule a free consultation. Mr. Cunningham is an experienced, aggressive Florida drunk driving accident lawyer who has been helping injured people receive damages from negligent drivers since 1977. Call 888-425-2004 or 407-425-2000 today to schedule your consultation.

James O. Cunningham

Since 1977, personal injury lawyer James Cunningham has provided effective legal advocacy to people who are injured through the negligent actions of another person or entity throughout the Central Florida area. He fights to obtain recoveries for his clients’ physical and emotional pain and suffering and pursues his clients’ personal injury cases with a commitment to excellence and impeccable preparation.