What Happens If You Get in an Accident While Drunk?

Drinking and driving are one of the most serious offenses in law, violating traffic rules. It does not only affect you but also the passengers, putting everyone around you at risk. That is why drinking and driving are considered a serious offences and often punished with heavy penalties by law. Alcohol-based drinks will reduce your concentration, cause blurry vision, loss of control and coordination and make you feel light-head. Because of these, you will not drive steady enough to see clearly and concentrate on the road. If you are a person who drives while drunk, there are chances you will face an accident one out of five times. Unfortunately, if you face an accident while drunk, the situation will startle you, but what happens if you get in an accident while drunk?

When you face an accident while drunk, the penalties you will face by law is definitely severe, depending on the damages caused or injuries to a person or sometimes killing a person. However, it also varies with each state you live in. If you cause an accident while drunk, you might not be sure what to do because, for obvious reasons, you weren’t in the state of mind for a long period, and the situation will be surprising with the heavy guilt.

What Happens If you Get in an Accident While Drunk?

If you get into an accident while drunk, you can expect the law to take action against you, as previously stated. The punishments can get worse if any damages or injuries are caused to properties or people, and the severity of the punishment differs for each state. It is best to avoid driving drunk because it does not only put you at risk but also everyone around you. You must know the consequences of drinking and driving to avoid danger.

1. Damages Caused to the Properties

It is not only your vehicle that is getting damaged during the accident. Suppose you will crash into another vehicle or property where you will have to pay the penalty for the caused damages. Suppose your car is damaged because of the accident caused while drunk; you cannot claim from the car insurance. Since it was your fault, you will have to cover the entire expenses for the damages to your car, including the damages to others’ properties.

1. Injuries to People

Because of the blurry vision, while drunk, you will not be able to see people on the road, and your driving is not steady at all. Because of this, accidents can cause injuries to people passing by, injuries to the passengers of the other vehicle during a car crash, or it could probably even be your close family or friends with you in the car. Remember how many lives you put at risk before you drink and drive.

1. Vehicular Manslaughter

Vehicular manslaughter is when you kill a man during an accident because of your fault. You will see how most drivers speed the vehicle when they drink and drive, which is unsafe because you lack coordination and cannot control the vehicle. When a person crashes into your car while driving at high speed, their possibilities for the man of losing his life is high. It is more like a murder and reported as a crime because drinking and driving is an intentional act.

What Should You Do If you Get in an Accident While Drunk?

If you ever have to face an accident while drunk, it is important to know what to do and how to deal with it. Since drinking and driving are considered a serious offense against the law, you cannot think of any other way to save yourself but respect the laws and remain. Below we have explained what you should do if you get into an accident while drunk.

1. Remain on the scene when the accident happens. Trying to escape will only make it more problematic. If you hit a person and escaped the scene, you would have been filed for a crime, and if the person died due to the accident, it would have been reported as murder, ending up in prison for 25 years.
2. Call the emergency services for the injuries caused during the accident, and contact the Police.
3. Take pictures of the accidents, which will be useful for the proof.
4. The Police will arrest you for drinking and driving.

What are the Legal Penalties You will Face When an Accident While Drunk?

The legal penalties you face will differ in each country, and the severity of the punishments depends on the extent of the damages and injuries caused. Below are some of the actions the law takes, which are common in almost every country.

1. Fine Charges

The law will charge you a sum of money for violating the rules. The amount differs for each country, including that you will also have to pay for the damages caused to other properties. If anyone is injured because of the accident, it is necessary to cover their medical expenses.  

1. License Loss

Your license will be banned by the law for 12 months and sometimes might extend depending on the severity. If you kill a person while drunk and drive in an accident, your license will be canceled for a lifetime.

1. Imprisoned

The first action taken when an accident happens when you are drunk is the Police will arrest you. How long you will be imprisoned will depend on the region you live in, considering the law of your state. Most of the time, you will remain in prison, between 2 weeks to 3 months and sometimes more than 15 years if a person is killed by accident. 

Conclusion

In the article what happens if you get in an accident while drunk, we have explained and explored different topics to make you aware of the consequences that might take place. We also have discussed what you must do after the accident and the law penalties you might face.

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