More than 700 people in Florida lost their lives in 2011 in a vehicle accident involving a drunk driver.
And close to 4,000 have been killed over the last five years.
In many of those accidents, the drunk driver was a repeat DUI offender.
That appears to be the case in a recent Florida crash that claimed the life of a 52-year-old motorcyclist from Milton.
The March 10 accident happened at three in the morning at an intersection on Highway 90. A Chevrolet 1500 pickup truck did not see the motorcycle approaching and pulled out in front of it, according to news reports. The motorcycle slammed into the truck.
The biker was transported to West Florida Hospital, where he died, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. The truck driver arrested for his fourth DUI, this time was also charged with DUI manslaughter.
Florida ranks 24th in the country in drunk driving fatalities. Thirty percent of all traffic deaths in the state are alcohol related. This costs the state an estimated $3.7 billion annually.
Some other Florida DUI statistics:
- There were 108,853 three-time DUI offenders in 2011.
- There were 13,054 five-time DUI offenders in 2011.
- 28 percent of people aged 12 to 20 admitted drinking alcohol in the past month.
- 18 percent of people aged 12 to 20 admitted binge drinking in the past month.
Sources:
- MADD http://www.madd.org/drunk-driving/state-stats/Florida.html
- Santa Rosa’s Press Gazette http://www.srpressgazette.com/news/milton-man-dies-in-early-sunday-motorcycle-crash-1.108654
