Walking can be a dangerous activity in California even at the best of times, but if you are walking under the influence alcohol, then your chances of being involved in a fatal accident are much higher.
According to the results of a new analysis of data by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the rates of people who were killed while walking while under the influence of alcohol, has remained very steady over the past two decades. This is even though the number of people driving under the influence of alcohol, has shown a steady downward trend.
Los Angeles pedestrian accident lawyers find that many people seem oblivious to the dangers of walking while the under the influence of alcohol.The same holds true for people who are on their bicycles. Bicycling while intoxicated can be an exceedingly dangerous activity, substantially increasing your risk of being involved in an accident. In fact, according to the analysis, alcohol-impaired bicyclist fatalities increased by 45% between 1992 and 2011.
There are specific reasons why pedestrians or bicyclists may be at a much higher risk of being involved in a fatal accident. An intoxicated pedestrian or bicyclist is likely to behave in ways that increase the risk of being involved in an injurious or fatal accident. For instance, an intoxicated pedestrian may walk against a light, or may cross the road at a place where it is not safe to do so, like an intersection or away from a crosswalk. Bicyclists, while intoxicated, may not bother to wear a helmet while riding.
Keep in mind that just a small amount of alcohol is enough to give you a buzz, and impair your walking or bicycling abilities. Even with a small amount of alcohol in your system, your judgment abilities can be impaired enough to be unable to judge the movement of traffic around you.
