Drivers in West Virginia might be interested to learn that the White House has proclaimed December 2017 National Impaired Driving Prevention Month. In making the proclamation, the administration cited a number of statistics and commitments for the country to consider going forward. The White House denounced impaired driving under any circumstances.

The year 2017 represented the second consecutive year in which the number of alcohol-related traffic fatalities on American roads increased. During 2016, 28 percent of all traffic deaths were alcohol-related; more than 10,000 people died in alcohol-related crashes in that year alone. In 2012, more than 4 million adults said they’d driven impaired at least one time during a 30-day period.

Operating a motor vehicle after consuming even one drink may dramatically impact the lives of drivers and their loved ones. Passengers and bystanders, too, may be severely impacted by the decision of one person to drive while impaired. The White House stated that it is committed to increasing awareness of the dangers associated with impaired driving. The administration is also dedicated to helping law enforcement through the provision of resources as well, according to the proclamation.

In a case where an individual is injured as a result of a car accident with an impaired driver, the individual may be entitled to compensation for medical expenses, pain and suffering, lost wages or other damages. An attorney with experience in personal injury law may be able to help in such a case by attempting to negotiate insurance claims with at-fault parties and their insurers. An attorney may be able to gather evidence in preparation for trial or argue on behalf of the client during court proceedings.