On Sunday, June 7, 2015, a hit-and-run driver was killed after attempting to flee the scene, moments after striking another vehicle. As reported by the Detroit Free Press, at around 2 p.m. on Sunday, a driver called 911 soon after their car was hit by a Buick, in Egelston Township, Michigan which is 10 miles east of Muskegon. The Muskegon County Sheriff’s deputies said that the driver of the Buick lost control, struck several trees, and her car rolled over. Authorities are unsure whether or not she was wearing a seatbelt, as damage was so severe, and due to the fact that she was ejected from the vehicle and died at the scene.
Every 51 minutes a U.S. driver dies from an alcohol related car crash.
It is unknown whether or not the driver was under the influence of drugs or alcohol, and the investigation is still ongoing. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, in 2013, 1,166,824 arrests were made for driving under the influence. In addition to this, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in 2013, 10,076 people were killed in alcohol-impaired driving crashes, accounting for nearly one-third of all traffic-related deaths in the United States. They also reported that every day, almost 30 people in the United States die in motor vehicle crashes that involve an alcohol-impaired driver, which amounts to one death every 51 minutes.
According to the CDC, the people who are most at risk are young people and motorcyclists. They reported that, among drivers with BAC levels of .08 or higher involved in fatal crashes in 2013, one out of every 3 were between 21 and 24 years of age. In addition to this, the CDC reported that among motorcyclists killed in fatal crashes in 2013, 27% had BACs of .08 or greater.
If you have been injured in a car or motorcycle accident, contact a lawyer at The Michigan Law Firm, PLLC. Our accident lawyers handle all types of personal injury cases, including those where a drunk driver was involved in the accident. Call us today at 844.4MI.FIRM for a free consultation today.