Manassas Drunk Driving Accident Lawyers

Attorneys for Collisions Caused by Intoxicated Drivers in Manassas, VA

When a driver chooses to get behind the wheel after consuming alcohol or drugs, they make a decision that puts every other person on the road at risk. The consequences can be devastating. Car accidents caused by drunk drivers can leave victims with severe injuries, emotional trauma, and financial hardship that can last for years.

At Locklin & Coleman, PLLC, our attorneys understand the physical, emotional, and financial toll that car accidents caused by drunk drivers can take on victims and their families. We work to build strong cases supported by evidence, helping obtain full and fair compensation for injury victims.

How Alcohol Impairs a Person's Ability to Drive Safely

Understanding why drunk driving is so dangerous begins with understanding what alcohol actually does to the human body and mind. Alcohol is a central nervous system depressant, meaning that it slows the communications between the brain and the body. Even small amounts of alcohol can have an impact on the skills and judgment required to operate a vehicle safely. The effects grow more severe as a person's blood alcohol concentration rises.

Reduced Reaction Time

One of the earliest effects of alcohol consumption involves delayed reaction times. Driving requires a person to make constant, rapid responses to changing conditions. A person may need to react to a car braking ahead of them, a pedestrian stepping into the road, or a traffic light changing. When alcohol affects a driver's ability to process information and respond, the window available to avoid a crash shrinks significantly. Even a fraction of a second of delayed response can be the difference between a near miss and a catastrophic collision.

Impaired Vision and Perception

Alcohol can affect people's vision in multiple ways. It can lead to blurred vision, a reduced ability to focus, limited peripheral vision, impaired depth perception, and difficulty tracking moving objects. Drivers who are under the influence may not see hazards until it is too late to respond. Visual impairments can be even more dangerous at night or in low-visibility conditions.

Poor Judgment and Risk-Taking

Alcohol lowers a person's inhibitions and distorts their ability to recognize risks. An intoxicated driver may feel more confident, leading them to speed, follow other vehicles too closely, attempt unsafe passing maneuvers, or ignore traffic signals. A false sense of security can be one of the most dangerous aspects of impaired driving, because a driver may believe they are in control of their vehicle when they are not.

Loss of Coordination and Motor Control

Operating a vehicle requires precise coordination between a person's hands, feet, and eyes. Alcohol can affect the parts of the brain that are responsible for balance and fine motor skills, making it harder to steer smoothly, maintain lane position, and perform the physical movements required to control a vehicle.

Drowsiness and Unconsciousness

Alcohol is a sedative, and it can cause drowsiness that may affect a driver's ability to focus or even cause them to fall asleep at the wheel. A driver who loses consciousness, even briefly, has no ability to control their vehicle, and they may crash into other vehicles, roadside objects, or pedestrians without slowing down.

Other Substances That Can Lead to Impairment

Alcohol is far from the only substance that can affect a driver's ability to operate a vehicle safely. Drug-impaired driving is just as dangerous. It may involve substances such as:

Marijuana

As marijuana becomes more widely used, its role in traffic accidents has become a major concern. THC, the active compound in marijuana, can affect a person's reaction time, coordination, short-term memory, and their ability to track objects accurately.

Prescription Medications

Many prescription drugs carry warnings against operating heavy machinery, and they can also affect a person's ability to operate a motor vehicle. Opioid pain relievers, sleep aids, muscle relaxants, certain antihistamines, and other drugs can cause drowsiness, slowed reaction times, blurred vision, and other impairments.

Illegal Drugs

Stimulants, hallucinogens, and other controlled substances can affect the brain and body in ways that make driving dangerous. Stimulants such as cocaine or methamphetamine may cause overconfidence, aggressive driving behaviors, and an inability to focus on the road. Hallucinogens can prevent a driver from being able to recognize what is happening on the road around them. Any substance that alters a person's perceptions, judgment, or motor control can increase the risks of accidents.

Multiple Substances

Combining alcohol with one or more other substances can lead to impairments that are more serious than either substance would cause on its own. Over-the-counter medications may interact with alcohol to cause intoxication. Combinations of multiple types of illegal drugs can also lead to serious impairments.

Types of Accidents Caused by Intoxicated Drivers

Impaired driving can lead to a wide range of accidents that may result in serious injuries due to a driver's inability to slow down, steer, or respond to conditions before impact.

Wrong-Way and Head-On Collisions

Intoxicated drivers may become disoriented, causing them to enter roads or highways while traveling in the wrong direction. They may lose control and stray across the road into oncoming traffic. Head-on collisions that occur in these situations can be deadly.

Rear-End Collisions

A driver whose reaction time has been slowed by alcohol or drugs may not notice that traffic ahead has stopped or slowed, or they may not act quickly enough to slow down before colliding with a vehicle in front of them. Rear-end crashes caused by impaired drivers may involve high speeds, especially if a driver never attempted to slow down.

Intersection Crashes

Impaired drivers may run red lights or stop signs because they did not notice signs or signals or could not respond in time to stop after a light changed. The resulting broadside collisions can cause severe harm to people in other vehicles.

Pedestrian and Bicycle Accidents

People on foot or on bicycles have no protection when they are struck by a vehicle. An intoxicated driver who cannot see or respond to a pedestrian in a crosswalk, a cyclist in a bike lane, or a person walking along a road's shoulder may strike them at full speed. These collisions may be fatal.

Contact Our Manassas, Virginia Drunk Driving Accident Attorneys

When intoxicated drivers cause crashes, victims may take steps to hold them accountable for their reckless behavior. The attorneys at Locklin & Coleman, PLLC provide legal representation in these cases, fighting for compensation and justice for victims. Contact our Manassas intoxicated driving accident lawyers at 703-392-6686 to set up a free consultation.