New Jersey is a hotspot for driving under intoxication (DUI) from alcohol and other drugs. Drunk driving is a significant contributor to car crashes all over the country. Daily, more than 30 Americans are killed as a result of drunk driving. Apart from the loss of life, the government loses billions of dollars annually due to drunk driving accidents. A first-time DUI and a repeat offender pose the same threat to you and others. Those who survive these accidents suffer from physical, psychological, and emotional traumas. Here are the effects of drunk driving.
Physical trauma
You must be lucky to survive an auto accident. However, you won’t go without minor bruises and scratches. Survivors from drunk driving accidents are lucky to have survived the ordeal. However, most of them have to deal with permanent scars. Apart from brain injuries, some survivors lose their limbs and cannot walk or use their hands. Some accidents result in fires. People who survived those raging fires take a lot of time to heal.
Psychological effects
Most accident survivors develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). PTSD is a mental disorder that affects more than 6 million Americans annually. People who survived drunk driving accidents often get flashbacks of what happened during the crash. Additionally, these survivors can also be afraid of ever driving or riding a car. Nightmares, difficulty in sleeping, and losing concentration are some of the effects of PTSD.
Emotional effects
People who survived car accidents as a result of drunk driving are often angry. The anger comes in cases that a close ally dies in the auto crash. This anger can take a toll on their lives, making them violent. The survivors will often go through the seven stages of grief. They often avoid people, and if the accident was their fault, they will likely feel guilty.
Drunk driving accidents have a heavy toll on the survivors. In case you are involved in a drunk driving accident, contact an attorney who can help you file a compensation claim.