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After the Ryan Dunn Accident: What Is A Safe BAC?

Last week, actor Ryan Dunn lost his life in a high speed car crash in Pennsylvania. At the time of the accident, Dunn's blood alcohol concentration measured .196 percent; more than twice the legal limit.

Just hours before the crash, 34-year-old Dunn posted a photo on his Twitter account that showed him drinking at a bar, Barnaby's of America. However, the manager of the bar told reporters that although Dunn had been at the bar with his friends, he did not seem to be drunk when he left.

A new study says that anyone who is drinking, regardless of how impaired they are or seem to be, should not drive. In a paper published in the Journal Addiction, University of California, San Diego researchers say that any amount of alcohol can pose a danger while driving. In fact, they say that just one beer significantly increases the chance of a Missouri drunk driving crash.

The researchers used data from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) database. This national database includes every motor vehicle accident in the U.S. that involves at least one fatality. FARS is unique because it includes each driver's BAC in 0.01% increments.

The study used all records from 1994 to 2008 and included 1,495,667 accident victims.

The researchers found that severity of accidents increased dramatically when any amount alcohol was present in the blood. In fact, even at a BAC of .01, the average accident was 37% more severe than the average accident involving a sober driver. A 180 pound man would have a BAC of .01 if he drank one beer over the course of one hour. As BAC increased, so did the risk of a severe accident.

The authors of the study believe that even a buzzed driver is more likely to speed and less likely to wear a seatbelt than a sober driver. The likelihood of risky behavior also increases with BAC. At the time of his accident, Ryan Dunn was driving between 132 and 140 miles per hour. He lost control of his car and ran off the road. The car crashed into some trees and exploded killing both Dunn and his friend, 30-year-old Zachary Hartwell.

The legal driving BAC limit in Missouri is .08; if you have been injured or have lost a loved one to a driver who has been drinking, you have legal rights regardless of the driver's BAC. The Kansas City auto accident lawyers at Kansas City Accident Injury Attorneys fight to make sure the rights of Missouri DUI victims are protected. To schedule a free consultation with a Kansas City auto accident lawyer, contact Kansas City Accident Injury Attorneys at 888-348-2616.

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• Why are research and statistics that look at gender differences among drivers important? If I am hurt in an Independence, MO car accident, do the research and statistics matter?

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