Many people do not think much of drunk driving accidents until they strike close to home. But in these situations, the damage has already been done in the form of a death or serious injury.

That is why groups like Mothers Against Drunk Driving and other outspoken opponents of drunk driving feel their work is so valuable in Georgia and throughout the rest of the United States.

Individuals like one Georgia woman, who lost her son and saw her parents permanently disabled in two separate accidents involving drunk drivers, are working to raise awareness of this dangerous act.

Some people shrug off drunk driving as simply a mistake made by someone who is young and stupid. Data compiled by MADD shows that one in every four individuals killed while driving drunk was between the age of 15 and 25. Just about 50 percent of them were younger than 35.

So what is Georgia doing to curb this deadly trend? The state has a number of fairly strict laws in place. Any driver older than 21 found with a blood alcohol content of at least 0.08 or any traces of controlled substance in their bodies while driving will receive a misdemeanor DUI. But the number of DUIs in parts of Georgia that are either growing or remaining steady suggest these measures are not enough.

Unfortunately for police, it comes down to accountability on behalf of the driver. Sometimes even the strictest punishments cannot force a person to make the right decision. But people injured by drunk drivers should know that there are other legal remedies to send a message, such as filing a personal injury lawsuit against the driver.

Source: Times-Georgia.com, "Residents, officials lament effects of DUI," Kelly Quimby, March 7, 2012