It seems as if alcohol is a factor in almost every traffic accident involving people in their early 20s.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recently released a study involving alcohol related deaths in this age group. The study included data from the years 2003 through 2007.

The statistics show that drivers between the ages of 21 and 24 consistently have the highest level of involvement in alcohol impaired driving fatalities. In 2007, 35% of the people in that age group involved in a fatal crash were impaired by alcohol (a blood alcohol level of .08 grams per deciliter or more).

This problem is more prevalent at certain times of the year. The percentage of impaired drivers involved in fatal drunk driver accidents during the last two weeks of December increases among all age groups, but the percentage among the 21-24 age group is the highest.

If you are going to a party and you intend to drink, designate a non-drinking driver. It’s not only safe and smart, it could save a life. If you or a loved one has been involved in a drunk driver accident, consulting with an attorney experienced with Texas accident law will give you more insight into your rights.

The family of a Pennsylvania woman killed in a tractor trailer accident in November has filed a federal wrongful death lawsuit.

The woman was killed when a tractor-trailer struck an overpass, sending a cargo container crashing onto her car. Her family has filed a federal wrongful death lawsuit against the trucker and the trucking company.

The family is seeking an unspecified amount in survival claims, punitive damages and court costs from Vidov Trucking, the Indiana-based hauling company that owned the truck, and trucker Robert Kostadinov, according to a lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court, Eastern District.

The lawsuit claims that the negligence, carelessness and recklessness of Kostadinov and the trucking company caused the woman’s death because they should have known the legal height requirements to pass underneath the overpass. It further states that the defendants should have known that by adding the cargo container onto the flatbed trailer, it would cause the truck to exceed the height limit.

The empty metal container the truck was hauling struck the bridge, sending it off the trailer and into the path of a Jeep Cherokee the woman was driving. After striking the container, her Jeep spun and crashed into the center barrier. She died at the scene.

Authorities have said that the truck did not have a permit to haul an oversize load, which would have meant it would have been re-routed to avoid low clearances.

Big rig accidents like this are some of the most costly to a family. If you or a loved one has been involved in an accident with one of these tractor trailer rigs, please consider talking to an experienced truck wreck attorney. The professional insight you gain could help compensate for your injuries.