Do you feel like you read about a startling amount of drunk driving accidents in which the drunk driver survives, and other people pass away from their injuries? Have you ever wondered how this happens?
While every accident is different, researchers have actually discovered that alcohol helps trauma victims survive. This goes beyond car accidents. A drunk person who gets injured in a fall or a fight also has a better chance of surviving than a sober person who suffers similar injuries.
The reason, some scientists believe, is that alcohol can aid with the body’s natural responses after an injury. It may help the heart pump blood throughout the body, for instance. It may help reduce pain, thereby keeping someone from passing out. Researchers noted that issues like fluid loss and inflammation usually lead to death, not the initial injuries, and alcohol may play a role in reducing that impact.
Interestingly, many people think that a drunk driver is more likely to be limp during a car accident, meaning it’s easier to survive because injuries aren’t as serious. The researchers who did this study say that they did not find evidence of that at all, and they think it is probably false. When injuries are just as serious, those with alcohol in their bodies just have a better chance to survive those injuries.
Of course, if people did not drink and drive, many of these injuries could be entirely prevented. Those who get hurt in these types of car accidents need to know what legal options they have to seek compensation for medical bills, pain and suffering and more.