What to Do if You’re Hit By a Drunk Driver in Colorado (Real Stories & Stats)
Earlier this year, in Douglas County, a man was sentenced to 12 years in prison for a drunk driving accident that showed “extreme indifference” and left two people seriously injured. This man had nine previous DUI cases. Then, in Grand Junction, a woman was rear-ended by a suspected drunk driver and had to be extracted from her car by emergency personnel. While no one, thankfully, died in these two cases, impaired driving accounts for over 30% of accident fatalities in Colorado. We’ll explain the sobering statistics and what to do if you’re hit by a drunk driver.
Colorado Drunk Driving Statistics
Drunk driving remains a significant safety concern in Colorado as it is throughout the US. According to the Colorado Department of Transportation (CODOT), impaired driving causes one in three (32%) of all fatal car accidents in the state. In 2023, 227 individuals lost their lives due to impaired driving crashes, and there were over 16,500 DUI cases filed in the state.
It may not surprise you to learn that one of the worst days of the year is St. Patrick's Day. Last year, 1,944 impaired driving crashes happened on this holiday.
Why People (Still) Drive Impaired
Why, despite what we know about drunk driving – all the commercials, PSAs, and highway signs, do so many people choose to get behind the wheel, risking their lives, the lives of other passengers, drivers, bikers, pedestrians, and their families?
- Alcohol or drugs can cause people to misjudge how much they’ve had to drink, their response/reaction time, and the effects of their alcohol or drug consumption.
- Alcohol or drugs can give people a false sense of security or confidence.
- Some people are too embarrassed to admit they need help or can’t drive.
A recent study by American Addiction Centers found that over half of respondents felt they were okay to drive after drinking. Other excuses for driving under the influence include:
- The rideshare service was taking too long.
- There was not a high amount of traffic on the roads.
- The impaired person did not live far away.
- Shockingly, nearly 2% of people just felt they wouldn’t be caught.
Driving Under the Influence of Marijuana
The problem of impaired driving is compounded by the legalization of marijuana in Colorado. While marijuana affects people differently than alcohol, it can still significantly affect driving abilities.
Overall, according to MADD, nearly 44% of fatally injured drivers tested positive for drugs, and CDOT has expressed concerns about the number of drug and marijuana-related traffic accidents.
In 21,000 cases of impaired driving, 18% of them were the result of a mix of alcohol and drugs – the most common drug being delta-9 THC. According to CDOT, THC is proven to negatively impact reaction time, focus, and problem-solving skills. While the number of people driving under the influence of THC had dropped by 2022, the number of crash fatalities increased — from 42 in 2018 to 101 in 2022.
Drugged Driving vs. Drunk Driving
Driving under the influence of marijuana can be just as dangerous as driving under the influence of alcohol. We noted the effects of driving under the influence of alcohol above. Driving drugged can be very similar. It can affect your ability to:
- See clearly and accurately judge time and distance
- Do two things at once – like check for traffic while switching lanes or look for pedestrians before making a right-hand turn.
It can also cause anxiety and paranoia which is dangerous when behind the wheel of a two-ton vehicle in motion.
In Colorado, police officers do not have a way to test THC, but they are trained to detect the substance based on observation. The law allows them to arrest someone for using marijuana, even for medicinal purposes, if they judge the driver to be impaired.
What to Do if You're Hit By a Drunk Driver
If you’re injured in a car accident as a result of a drunk or drugged driver, it is important to take immediate action. Here are some important steps to take:
Seek Medical Attention: Your safety and well-being should be your top priority. If you are injured, seek medical attention as soon as possible. Even if you feel fine at first, it’s wise to get a medical professional’s opinion, as accident injuries may present themselves later.
Contact the Police: Report the accident to the police and provide them with as much information as possible. This will help to ensure that the incident is properly documented.
Gather Evidence: If possible, collect evidence at the scene of the accident. This may include photos, witness statements, and information about the other driver.
Consult a Lawyer: It is highly recommended to discuss your case with a personal injury lawyer. A lawyer can help you understand your legal rights and options and take on the arduous task of dealing with insurance companies.
The Very Real and Wide-Ranging Impact of Impaired Driving
Victims of drunk and/or drugged driving accidents go beyond just the persons who end up in the hospital or worse. They are also the families and friends of the loved ones – all of whose lives may change forever.
Just listen to the younger sister of a victim who was killed instantly (along with his girlfriend) due to a repeat drunk-driving offender:
“Every drunk driving crash impacts not just the person injured or killed but all those left behind.
For the victims, it comes out of nowhere. It is sudden. It is violent. There is no time to prepare for it. It changes everything in an instant, forever.” [Prisca]
This young woman and her family were devastated by the negligent actions of a man with three previous DUI charges, no insurance, a suspended license, and a blood alcohol concentration three times above the legal limit. His actions took away a son, a brother, and another family’s daughter as well.
For another woman, she managed to survive a drunk-driving accident, but her injuries dramatically changed her life. In her MADD story, she relates the impact of the wrong-way, head-on collision – how she had to undergo several life-saving, emergency surgeries, six weeks in a rehab facility learning to walk again, and then how nearly six years later, she still couldn’t run and could only walk short distances with braces on her feet:
“A drunk driver may not have physically killed me…but she took my life…I lost my car, my job, my independence.
I am still learning to accept the fact that I may never be as active or mobile as I was before the crash and that my self-worth doesn’t come from…fitting into a mold that the world defines as beautiful.” [Erin]
The Importance of Accident Prevention
There are, sadly, many more stories similar to these. While it is important to seek justice for victims of drunk driving, it is equally important to prevent these tragedies from occurring in the first place.
Education and awareness campaigns – like the ones CODOT recently launched – can help to reduce the number of drunk driving incidents. Additionally, law enforcement agencies play a crucial role in enforcing drunk driving laws and holding offenders accountable.
Justice for All Victims of Drunk Driving in Colorado
We at Veritas Injury Lawyers are proud to be a part of the solution, too. To quote MADD, “The victims of drunk and drugged driving crashes are not statistics. They are mothers, children, spouses, and brothers.” We couldn’t agree more.
We make it our mission to hold drunk or drugged drivers accountable and support victims of these types of accidents with strength, integrity, and compassion. Our goal is to take care of the entire legal claim process so that justice is served and so that our clients can focus on their health and recovery, rather than the stress of fighting alone for the compensation they need and deserve.
If you or someone you love is the victim of drunk driving or drug-impaired driving, contact Veritas Injury Lawyers today for a free consultation. We’ve already won millions for our clients, and are dedicated not just to winning your case, but also to ensuring the highest quality of care. Your well-being is of utmost importance to us.
“I cannot thank [Veritas Injury Lawyers] enough for their expertise and hard work concerning my case. [They] made sure that all avenues were explored for getting me the highest award possible, kept me informed of the status of the claims, and expressed great empathy and kindness during my painful recovery.”
- Denise M.
Reach out to us today to learn more. Get a Free Consultation.
