Motor vehicle accidents are a sad reality of life that you and every West Virginia resident must contend with. While fortunately many collisions such as fender benders many be minor and not result in injuries or even property damage, there are a great many that do in fact result in serious consequences. The reasons for these accidents vary from driver distraction to fatigue and more. Impairment by alcohol is another all-too-common factor involved in car crashes. Just how many people are impacted by drunk drivers in West Virginia every year?
Records from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration show that drunk driving claims several lives statewide every year. Information for the years 2010 through 2014 show the following number of deaths due to drunk drivers in West Virginia:
- 87 in 2010
- 93 in 2011
- 94 in 2012
- 91 in 2013
- 84 in 2014
The risk to West Virginians is shared statewide with different results. In looking at Cabell County and its four neighboring counties, the number of fatalities in Cabell County outnumber the others over the five-year period. Cabell County experienced 19 drunk driving deaths between 2010 and 2014. Wayne County lost 13 lives and Putnam County another 11. In Lincoln and Mason Counties, eight and six people respectively died at the hands of drunk drivers during this time.
The risk of being involved in an accident caused by a drunk driver is ever present. Drivers, passengers, bicyclists and pedestrians alike can all be injured or killed in these tragic collisions. This information is not intended to provide legal advice but general information about drunk driving fatalities in West Virginia.