Drunk driving car accidents caused the wrongful deaths of about 12,000 people in 2008.  That number represents a near 10% decrease from 2007, but drivers continue to drive drunk almost every weekend.

Law enforcement officials have taken steps to prevent these car accidents from happening with random DUI checkpoints, but the next phase in preventing these automobile accidents involves taking blood from a driver suspected of DUI.

Our car accident lawyers believe any new ways to get drunk drivers off the road should be seen as a positive step in a life saving direction.  The drunk-driving accident that claimed the life of Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim player Nick Adenhart goes to show these auto accidents can happen anytime to anyone.  In fact, drunk-drivers are one of the top causes of automobile accidents.

Police officers in the United States do what they can to stop these car accidents from happening.  The combination of drinking and driving  increases the possibility of an automobile accident that can cause injuries like whiplash or traumatic brain injuries as well as wrongful death.

If you are driving, and a police officer suspects you’ve been drinking, they are allowed to take a breathalyzer test, but some defense lawyers advise clients to refuse those.  In 1995, officers in Arizona began to draw blood from these drivers.  Officials in Idaho want to mimic the procedure because of their 20 percent breathalyzer refusal rate in 2005 (the national rate is 22 percent).

Officers are trained to take blood from the back of the hand, the elbow crease and the forearm.  If they can’t do that, the suspect is taken to a hospital for testing.  After training, police officers in Idaho will draw blood from anyone who refuses a breathalyzer — by force if necessary.

Chairman of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers’ committee on driving while intoxicated says law enforcement agencies should be worried about potential malpractice cases over officers not properly trained.

As long as policemen are properly trained in drawing blood from a suspect, this could serve as a new method to help convict suspects of DUI, and get them off the roads before car accidents happen.  Our car accident lawyers hate to see drunk-driving accidents cause injuries and wrongful death because someone else risked driving under the influence of alcohol.  There are resources designed to prevent DUI accidents, but we need to make sure we are all doing our part to combat this problem on our roadways.

If you are drinking, DON’T DRIVE!  It’s not worth the risk.

Call us now at 1-858-551-2090 or click here for a free consultation with an experienced car accident attorney and find out how we can help you.  We speak English and Spanish, and we look forward to providing advice for your case.  No fee if no recovery.