A male motorcyclist was injured in a Fresno car accident involving a suspected drunk driver. According to KFSN, the DUI crash occurred on Highway 180, near Highway 168, the night of October 2, 2011. California Highway Patrol officials say the driver of a station wagon struck a car and a motorcycle on the highway. The rider suffered a possible broken leg. The driver of the car that was hit was uninjured. The driver of the station wagon was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence.

My thoughts and prayers are with the injured victim of this Fresno motorcycle accident. I wish him the very best for a complete and speedy recovery.

Fresno DUI Statistics

According to California Highway Patrol’s 2009 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), 12 people were killed and 151 were injured as a result of alcohol-related crashes in Fresno. During that same year, there were 49 fatalities and 389 injuries reported as a result of Fresno County DUI collisions.

Drunk Driving Laws

Based on this news report, the driver of the station wagon who apparently caused the collision was under the influence. Under California law, it is illegal for drivers to operate with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08 percent or higher. According to California Vehicle Code Section 23152 (a): "It is unlawful for any person who is under the influence of any alcoholic beverage or drug, or under the combined influence of any alcoholic beverage and drug, to drive a vehicle."

Liability Issues

The victim of a DUI crash may pursue financial compensation for his or her injuries and losses by filing a personal injury claim against the at-fault motorist. Damages that may be sought by victims in such cases include medical expenses, lost wages, hospitalization, physical therapy, pain and suffering, and emotional distress.

Car accident victims would be well-advised to contact an experienced Fresno personal injury lawyer who has a successful track record of financially pursuing drunk drivers. A knowledgeable car accident attorney will also inform victims about how their own car insurance policy might apply to an incident where the at-fault driver is uninsured or underinsured. For more information about the dangers of driving under the influence, please visit the Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) web site at www.madd.org.