Northern California Accident Attorney Blog

A noncompetitive fundraising walk will be hosted by Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) in Fresno on Saturday, May 14. The second annual Walk Like MADD (WLM) 5K will raise money for MADD's Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving. The walk will also help promote awareness about the many dangers of drunk driving. MADD's goal is to stop drunk driving, prevent underage drinking, and support drunk driving accident victims and their families.

The walk starts at 8:00 a.m. at Woodward Park-Mountain View Shelter (8401 N. Friant Rd., Fresno, CA, 93720) and those who wish to register for the walk can visit www.walklikemadd.org/fresno. The 2010 Fresno Walk Like MADD event, which was held for the first time in the Central Valley, had more than 1,000 walkers who raised nearly $75,000 to help in the efforts to prevent drunk driving and support victims of drunk driving accidents.

Far-Reaching Affects of Drunk Driving
A recent Kmph.com article tells the story of a family who lost a loved one three and a half years ago in a drunk driving crash in Fresno. The accident that took the man's life occurred in Fresno County when a drunk driver ran a stop sign and crashed into the SUV he was driving. In the article, the family shares how everyday is a struggle for them and that it's still difficult to cope with the fact that someone else's decision to drink and drive left five children without their father. The family will be participating in the Walk Like MADD event.

Drunk Driving Accident Statistics
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 10,839 people died in 2009 in motor vehicle accidents involving a motorist with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 or higher, which accounts for 32 percent of the total traffic deaths for that year. What is even more staggering is that an average of one alcohol-impaired driving death took place almost every hour (every 48 minutes) in 2009. While it is encouraging that traffic deaths in drunk driving accidents decreased in 2009 from the previous year, Fresno car accident lawyers know that there is still much that needs to be done to help prevent drunk driving fatalities, injuries, and accidents.