The National Highway Safety and Traffic Safety Association (NHSTA) released the 2007 and 2008 data for alcohol related highway deaths. Unfortunately, Illinois ranked as the eighth deadliest state.
There was some encouraging news as 2008 compared to 2007, the overall fatality rate declined from 1.36 to 1.25 fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles of travel (VMT), and the alcohol-impaired driving fatality rate declined from 0.43 to 0.40 highway fatalities per 100 million VMT. From 2007 to 2008, the alcohol-impaired-driving fatality rate declined in 40 States, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico and remained the same or increased in the remaining 10 States.
Impaired-driving laws have been enacted in all 50 States and the District of Columbia that make it illegal for a driver or a motorcycle rider with a BAC of .08 or above to drive a vehicle. In 2008, the alcohol-impaired-driving fatality rate declined from 0.43 highway fatalities per 100 million VMT in 2007 to 0.40 in 2008.
Hopefully 2009 statistics will show a decline for Illinois and the stricter DUI laws led to safer for roads.
To read the complete news release and view all of the statistics, click here.
If you or someone you know has been involved in an Illinois car accident or an Illinois truck accident, then call attorney Aaron Bryant for a free consultation at 312-588-3384.