Some of the binge drinkers get behind the wheel of cars, putting the lives of others at grave risk, according to Philadelphia personal injury lawyers Flager & Yockey. The law firm reports that a death results from a drunk driver every 30 minutes.
Philadelphia, PA (PRWEB) January 20, 2012
More than 38 million adults in the United States drink excessively an average of four times a month, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Some of the binge drinkers get behind the wheel of cars, putting the lives of others at grave risk, according to Philadelphia personal injury lawyers Flager & Yockey. The law firm reports that a death results from a drunk driver every 30 minutes.
Binge drinking is linked to a host of problems in society, including car accidents or drunk driving accidents, according to the report released on Jan. 10, 2012. And binge drinking is not limited to people in college dorms. The CDC reports that binge drinking is common among those with household incomes of $75,000 or more, but people earning household incomes of $25,000 or less drank about 1.3 more drinks per binge, the CDC reports.
Binge drinkers are women who have four or more drinks or men who have five or more drinks on an occasion. Drinking to excess causes more than 80,000 deaths in the U.S. every year. Here are a few other facts about binge drinking, according to the CDC:
-
Third leading preventable cause of death in the United States
- More than 40,000 deaths result from injuries that disproportionately involve young people
- Responsible for more than $223.5 billion in economic costs in 2006
- Most binge drinkers are between 18 and 34
- The age group that binge drinks the most (five to six times per month) is 65 and older
“Binge drinking causes a wide range of health, social and economic problems and this report confirms the problem is really widespread,” CDC Director Dr. Thomas R. Frieden said in a statement on the CDC website. “We need to work together to implement proven measures to reduce binge drinking at national, state and community levels.”
The CDC highlights other societal problems related to binge drinking: unintentional injuries, violence, liver disease, certain cancers, heart disease, sexually transmitted diseases and both unintended and alcohol-exposed pregnancies.
In Pennsylvania, binge drinking is highest among residents of Lackawanna, Luzerne, and Wyoming counties (the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton region), according to the CDC report. These counties collectively have a binge drinking rate that is the fourth highest in the nation.
The attorneys at Flager & Yockey noted that the binge drinker might not be the only individual held liable in an accident. Under Pennsylvania’s so-called dram shop law, a business or person who provides alcohol to a visibly intoxicated person is also legally responsible for any damage that person might cause.
The regions of the United States where binge drinking is most common include the Midwest, New England, the District of Columbia, Alaska and Hawaii, the report stated. Areas where binge drinking is less common include Louisiana, Mississippi and South Carolina, according to the report.
About Flager & Yockey
Flager & Yockey is a personal injury law firm with professional offices in Trevose, New Hope, Philadelphia and New Jersey. The lawyers at the firm have decades of experience handling all types of personal injury cases. Other practice areas include auto accidents, truck accidents, workplace injuries and injuries due to dangerous products. For a free case review, call (215) 953-5200 or 1-888-470-1099. You can also reach the firm by completing the online contact form.
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Jacob DelHagen
jdelhagen@mmltv.net
1-888-566-5466
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