Georgia drunk driving fatalities up 10% in 2004
Alcohol-related traffic deaths increased by 10 percent in Georgia during 2004, compared to a 2 percent decline nationally. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in Washington released the figures for fatal crashes involving at least a driver or a motorcycle rider with an illegal blood-alcohol level of 0.08 percent or higher.
In Georgia, the agency said, there were 392 such deaths in 2004 and 355 in 2003, an increase of 37. Several other Southern states — Alabama, Arkansas, North Carolina and Tennessee — also posted higher fatality numbers. Texas saw a 10 percent reduction in its alcohol-related fatalities, accounting for 141 fewer deaths than in 2003.Nationwide, the government said 12,874 people died in alcohol-related crashes in 2004, compared with 13,096 in 2003.
There was no immediate explanation for why DUI deaths in Georgia and neighboring Southern states increased while the figures went down nationally. See AJC article.
The Shigley Law Firm represents plaintiffs in wrongful death and catastrophic injury cases statewide in Georgia, and in other states subject to the multijurisdictional practice and pro hac vice rules in each state. Ken Shigley was designated as a "SuperLawyer" in Atlanta Magazine and one of the "Legal Elite" in Georgia Trend Magazine. He is a Certified Civil Trial Advocate of the National Board of Trial Advocacy, Chair of the Southeastern Motor Carrier Liability Institute and former chair of the Georgia Insurance Law Institute. He particularly focuses on cases arising from truck wrecks and accidents (tractor trailers truck wrecks, semi truck wrecks,18 wheeler truck wrecks, big rig truck wrecks, log truck wrecks, dump truck wrecks).
