This past Memorial Day weekend kicked off the summer in Pennsylvania, and it should come as no surprise that some irresponsible individuals had one drink too many while celebrating the holiday and caused a drunk driving accident. And while these types of crashes were slightly lower in 2023 compared to last year, we can all agree that even one drunk driving accident is one too many.
Drunk driving accidents over Memorial Day 2023
There were fewer drunk driving accidents over Memorial Day weekend 2023 in Pennsylvania compared to Memorial Day weekend 2022. The Pennsylvania State Police report that from May 26, 2023, to May 29, 2023, there were 59 drunk driving accidents in the commonwealth. In 2022, these numbers sat at 66 drunk driving accidents.
Drunk driving accidents are the result of negligence
While it is good that the number of drunk driving accidents over the Memorial Day holiday in Pennsylvania went down, this does not erase the fact that drunk driving is an act of negligence.
All motorists in Pennsylvania must drive with the safety of others in mind, and if a motorist is drunk, they do not have the mental or physical capacity to meet this duty. Their vision is impaired, they may black out behind the wheel, they have lost their coordination, their perception is impaired and their reaction time is slowed.
Intoxication breaches a motorists’ duty of care, and should an intoxicated motorist cause a drunk driving accident that injures or kills another person, the intoxicated motorist should be held accountable for their wrongdoings. One way those involved in accidents caused by drunk drivers can hold the intoxicated motorist legally liable is by filing a personal injury lawsuit in which they seek compensation for their losses.