Wisconsin came in 5th for drunk driving when compared to all other states in the nation. For “failure to obey,” the state comes in at number 10. There are bad drivers everywhere. In the United States out of all 50 states, Wisconsin is 22 for worst driving behaviors. Interestingly, in 2018 the state was listed in the 24th position. What this tells us is that in one year, Wisconsin became much more dangerous for drivers.
The Wisconsin Department of Transportation indicates that there were 550 fatal crashes in 2019. The worst state in our nation where drunk driving is most prevalent was Hawaii. The worst state in the nation for driving, in general, was New Mexico. In New Mexico, there were 314 fatal crashes in 2019 and 84 were due to drunk drivers. According to the study, New Mexico was ranked third for most drunk driving incidents.
The Dangers Of Drunk Driving
It is common knowledge that if you are high on drugs or drunk on alcohol you should not get behind the wheel. Doing so not only puts your life at risk but for anyone else that is near you when you are driving. In 2013 almost 10 million people admitted that they have driven in an inebriated state stemming from alcohol or drug use. The majority of people who drove under the influence were aged 18 to 25 years-of-age.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that there were almost 40,000 individuals who lost their lives in crashes in 2017. Of these deaths, 10,874 were due to drunk driving where the driver had a Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) of .08 or more. This is above the legal limit to be operating a motor vehicle. If you have been hit by a drunk driver and injured as a result, the Wisconsin automobile accident attorneys at the Alexander J. Smith Law offices can help you with your claim.
What Are The Laws Relating To Drunk Driving In Wisconsin?
There are both minimum and maximum penalties for drunk driving. Depending on how many convictions a person is charged within ten years there is a scale of penalties. If a person has three offenses in their lifetime, no matter when the third offense takes place, they will face the maximum penalty.
- There is no jail time for a first offense but there is a fine of anywhere from $150 to $300
- A second offense comes with as little as 5 days in jail to upwards of 6 months. The fine associated with a second offense is between $350 to $1,100.
- A third offense will land you in jail for 45 days to 1 year. Fines can be anywhere from $600 to $2,000.
Have You Been Injured By A Negligent Driver In Wisconsin?
The Beloit personal injury lawyers at Alexander J. Smith Law Offices will ensure you see your full legal justice after the negligent actions of another party caused you harm. Don’t wait to obtain effective legal representation for your damages, call us today to schedule your free consultation at (608) 237-7035 for residents of Wisconsin or (815) 2439686 for residents of Illinois. One of our highly knowledgeable Wisconsin and Illinois personal injury attorneys is available to meet with you and discuss your experience.