Mother and Daughter Injured in Tempe DUI Crash
Did you know that the total annual cost of alcohol-related crashes reach more than $51 billion across the country? According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Traffic Safety Facts 2009, nearly 30 people nationwide are killed everyday due to fatal car crashes involving a drunk driver.
In the United States, the average alcohol-related fatalities cost $3.5 million. This is $1.1 million in monetary costs and $2.4 million in quality of life losses. Meanwhile, the estimated cost per injured survivor of an alcohol-related crash averaged $99,000 or $49,000 in monetary costs and $50,000 in quality of life losses.
In the recent statistics from NHTSA in 2009, fatalities as a result of alcohol-impaired driving crashes reached up to almost 11,000 or 32 percent of the total number of motor vehicle crashes in the country. On the same year, over 1.4 million drivers were arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol or narcotics.
At about 11 p.m. last Saturday, a mother and her 6-year-old daughter were injured in an Arizona DUI crash on the eastbound Loop 202 Red Mountain Freeway ramp in Tempe (05/28/11). The Department of Public Safety (DPS) revealed that the late-night accident which injured the mother and her 6-year-old daughter was due to impairment.
According to DPS, the car which carried the two rolled down to the embankment after it collided with another car. The mother suffered serious injuries while the girl sustained minor ones. Both were taken to the hospital while the occupants of the other car were safe and uninjured.
The mother is now charged with aggravated DUI and is facing aggravated assault for the injuries she and her daughter suffered.
The danger of being a victim of fatal car crash involving a drunk driver is very high especially in busy roads of Arizona. The high rate of car crashes in Arizona is a harsh reminder that some of us are still not aware of the risks of alcohol-impaired driving.
Here are some tips from Sgt. Thomas Neve (DPS) that might help you to avoid an accident and to stay safe while on the roads:
- Find an alternate way to get home such as a taxi cab, designate a driver, or just plan to stay put
- Be alert and aware of your surroundings and other drivers, especially at night
- Call 911 to report a suspected impaired driver
