It has been many decades now since groups like Mothers Against Drunk Driving began their important efforts to highlight the dangers of drinking and driving. Because of this, many people might assume that drivers in Tennessee today make the right decision when it comes to consuming alcohol and operating motor vehicles. Sadly, this is not the case. Despite widespread public awareness and a growing number of ride options including ridesharing services, too many innocent people continue to be killed by drunk drivers.
In looking at data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, it is clear that Knox County is far and away the deadliest county among its neighboring counties when it comes to drunk driving fatalities. Over the five years spanning from 2012 to 2016, a total of 77 lives were lost in Knox County at the hands of people who refused to put away their car keys after consuming alcohol. The neighboring county with the next-closest number of fatalities in that period was Blount County where 27 people died.
In Sevier, Anderson and Loudon Counties intoxicated drivers claimed another 19, 17 and 11 lives, respectively. Roane and Jefferson Counties were each the locations of another 10 vehicular fatalities involving alcohol. Rounding out the region were Grainger County where eight drunk driving deaths occurred and finally Union County where another six drunk driving deaths were recorded.
If you would like to learn more about how to get help after an accident caused by a negligent drunk driver, please feel free to visit the impaired driving crash assistance page of our Tennessee personal injury and accident website.