Articles Posted in Drunk Driving Accidents

We’ve been talking recently about all of the dangers that accompany the holiday season. One of the most significant is drunk driving. Federal officials know that and they’re tackling it head on. Recently, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced the launch of its ‘Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over’ holiday crackdown.

This year, officials with the NHTSA have teamed up with those from the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA), Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) and both local and state law enforcement officials to help to get drunk drivers off of our roadways through the holidays. In 2011, there were close to 10,000 people killed in drunk driving car accidents. Close to 400 of them happened in just the last half of December.

Our Oakland Park injury attorneys understand that there were close to 2,500 people killed in car accidents in just the state of Florida in 2011. We were ranked as the third most dangerous for traffic accidents out of the entire year. Out of those fatalities, more than 715 of them were killed in drunk driving car accidents. That account for roughly 30 percent of all traffic fatalities. What might be the worst news of all is that those accidents were completely preventable. No one has to get behind the wheel after consuming alcohol.

“The holiday season can be an especially dangerous time on our nation’s roadways due to drunk drivers – that’s why law enforcement officers will be out in full force,” said Secretary Ray LaHood with the NHTSA.

Traffic safety officials throughout the country have one message for you, “Drive sober or get pulled over!”

In the recent release of drunk driving statistics, the number dropped in more than 26 states. Florida was not one of those fortunate states. Our number of drunk driving accident fatalities actually jumped up about 2 percent.

This year’s drunk driving campaign is funded by more than $5 million in federal funds. It consists of national radio and TV advertising messages. These ads push visible enforcement of officers looking for impaired drivers. Officials want drivers to know that officers are out there and they’re looking for them — not to be a bully, but to help to reduce the number of fatalities resulting from drunk driving accidents.

The NHTSA offers you these tips to help:

-Plan ahead. If you will be drinking, you should not be driving. Get a designated driver or find another safe and sober way to get home.

-If you have to find an alternative way to get home, consider calling a cab, a friend or a family member to come pick you up.

-Be responsible. If you know someone who has been drinking, don’t let them drive. If you spot a driver who you believe is under the influence of alcohol, call law enforcement. Your call could save someone’s life!
Continue reading →

You may be planning on hosting a holiday get together within the next few weeks. You’re probably worried about decorations, the food and drinks and the lighting, but what you really need to be focused on is the safety of your guests.

You should be concerned with making sure that guests don’t drink too much and that no one under the age of 21 is consuming alcohol. These are both scenarios that could land you in some serious trouble!

Our Jupiter personal injury attorneys understand that if party hosts serve or provide alcohol to an underage person, they can be held liable for damages should something happen. It may sound silly, but the statistics speak for themselves:

More than 10 percent of 16- and 17-year-old and more than 20 percent of 18- to 20-year-olds reported driving under the influence in a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services survey.

Remember, it’s illegal to serve our young ones!

You also don’t want to overserve even those of age, because these people may leave your house and easily get involved in a drunk driving car accident. Give your guests the best holiday present of the year — safety!

Review the following party-hosting safety tips to help to keep you and your guests safe over the holidays.

Hosting a Safe Party:

-Try not to make alcohol the main focus of the party. Turn up some music, get a dance party started, play some games, serve some delicious food and get into some quality conversation.

-Don’t push alcohol on your guests. Don’t forget to offer them nonalcoholic beverages.

-Provide plenty of food. No one wants to drink on an empty stomach. Avoid salty foods as well. These only make guests thirstier.

-Cut off the drinks at a decent hour. Your best bet it to stop serving a couple hours before the party ends.

-Bring in people who you know won’t drink. They can help with setting up and can help to make sure that everyone has a safe ride home.

-Keep the phone numbers to taxi companies on hand for those who forgot to designate a sober driver.

-Try asking everyone to give up their keys at the beginning of the night. Toss them in a bowl and only give them back to the sober drivers at the end of the night.

-Make sure you know everyone’s age, or ID everyone, at your party. You don’t want alcohol to get into underage hands.

-Turn your sofa or your spare bedroom into a hotel and allow intoxicated guests to spend the night and sleep it off.

You never want your holiday party to end with a guest getting into an accident on the way home. Make sure everyone who gets behind the wheel after your party is sober. It’s a sure way to protect the safe of everyone!
Continue reading →

You have to be 21-years-old to consume alcohol in the United States. This law just recently celebrated its 28th anniversary.

Before, you only had to be 18-years-old to drink. Some are even still fighting to get the age limit dropped back down again, saying that if you can go to war then you should be able to have a drink. Others argue that we should follow in the footsteps of Europeans, with an 18 age limit, because they have fewer alcohol-related issues than we do.

These arguments are little more than made-up half truths. In fact, since the drinking age was raised to 21-years-old, thousands of lives have been saved, according to Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD).

What might be most beneficial in fighting to prevent drunk driving accidents is the input of parents. Unfortunately, teen drivers, although not old enough to legally drink, are at high risks for alcohol-related car accidents. Parents are asked to sit down and to talk with the teen driver in your family about the dangers that are associated with drinking and driving. To help you to do this, MADD offers you the Power of Parents program.

Nearly 75 percent of kids turn to their parents for guidance. You might not think it because it seems we’re constantly fighting them, but the truth of the matter is that parents are some of the most influential people in these teen’s impressionable lives. Our Plantation accident lawyers understand that car accidents are the leading cause of death for teenage drivers in the country. We’re asking parents to set some ground rules with their teen drivers. One of the most important rules that you can have is to prohibit drinking and driving!

We support MADD’s mission and their fight for the rights of those who have been injured in drunk driving car accidents in the area. The fight against these accidents is a three-pronged approach, including better education efforts, tougher enforcement and better care of victim’s rights.

MADD is asking residents to help in this fight. Advocates are asking residents to support House Joint Resolution 106 (H. J. Res. 106) by asking their U.S. Reps to co-sponsor the amendment. It’s easy and will only take a few minutes. These few minutes will help to better protect the rights of victims by allowing them to stay in the loop with court proceedings. They would be better informed about these proceedings, be allowed to attend them and be able to know about important decisions involving these cases.

Currently, each state has various statutory laws that protect rights for victims. Unfortunately, most of them are ineffective.

All you have to do is call or write. Only 100 co-sponsors are needed to move the amendment forward.

Victims are not always notified as to when there is a sentencing or a hearing or even when there is a pretrial release of the defendant.
Continue reading →

More than 6.000 teenagers are killed because of alcohol-related car accidents in Hollywood, Florida, and elsewhere every year. The consumption of alcohol contributes to more fatalities among this age group than all illegal drugs combined.

To help reduce the risks of these types of accidents, Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) is teaming up with the National Football League (NFL) in an attempt to urge teenagers to pledge to never drink and drive and to never ride with a driver who has been drinking. To reward those who are responsible and those who take the pledge, MADD and the NFL are offering official NFL prizes. All you have to do is visit MADD’s Power of You(th) Facebook page, sign the pledge and invite your friends to do the same. Children and other young people between the age of 12 and 21 are eligible to win.

Our Hollywood teen car accident attorneys understand that car accidents are the number one cause of death for teens in the United States. Many of these accidents can be prevented by talking to our young drivers and discussing the consequences of irresponsible behavior behind the wheel. As a matter of fact, drivers who are 16-years-old have the highest accident rate of any age group of drivers. They’re three times more likely to get into an accident than any other group. Frequently discussing the dangers that drivers face on our roadways and the proper way to handle them can help our young drivers to navigate more safely behind the wheel.

In 2008, nearly 2,750 teens died in car accidents on U.S. roadways. These accidents cost the country nearly $35 billion for property damage, medical costs and other various costs, according to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety.

Of these fatalities, more than 30 percent were killed in a traffic accidents in which they had been intoxicated, about a quarter of them were considered legally drunk.

Why are teens at such high risks for fatal accidents?

-They are more likely to underestimate roadway dangers than older drivers.

-They’re more likely to exceed the speed limit.

-They’re more likely to follow the vehicle in front of them too closely, or tailgate.

-When passengers are present in the vehicle, drivers are likely to increase their display of risky behavior behind the wheel.

-Teens have the lowest rate of seat belt use.

In a recent survey, nearly a third of all surveyed teens admitted to riding with a driver who had been drinking alcohol within the last 30 days. A tenth of those who were surveyed admitted to drinking alcohol at least once in the last 30 days.

Although teenagers may not be able to drink legally in the U.S., it doesn’t mean they’re not going to. Remember to talk to the young drivers in your life about the dangers, risks and consequences of both driving drunk and riding with an intoxicated driver.
Continue reading →

A St. Lucie car accident landed a man with charges of manslaughter after a laundry list of previous drunk driving convictions, according to the TC Palm. The accident happened on King’s Highway just south of St. Lucie Boulevard and took the life of a 63-year-old woman, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

The man has been in the St. Lucie County jail after he was charged with leaving the scene of an accident with property damage. According to Sheriff Deputies, the man was driving his car and hit a number of mailboxes on Godwin Road and Orange Avenue before slamming his car head-on into the vehicle of that 68-year-old woman. According to most recent reports, he remains in jail on a $1 million bond.

Our St. Lucie car accident attorneys understand that drunk driving accidents occur more frequently during the holidays than during any other time of the year. Thanksgiving is no different. Motorists are asked to be careful on our roadways and to please drink responsibly. Drunk driving-related car accidents are completely preventable with a little bit of common sense and responsibility. If you think you’ve spotted a drunk driver on out roadways during the Thanksgiving holiday or any other day of the year, you’re urged to call *FHP and report the information. Your call could save a life.

Most people think that New Year’s Eve is the number one night for drunk driving accident, but those people would be wrong. New Year’s Eve comes in second after Thanksgiving, according to Life Tips.

We all know that Thanksgiving is time to spend with friends and family, but all too often people think this time spent is best spent drinking. At this year’s Thanksgiving celebration consider giving thanks to friends, family, good health and making sure that everyone makes it home safely.

We’re not saying you aren’t allowed to drink over the holiday. We’re just asking that you do so responsibly. That’s why Budweiser and the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety will be pushing their “Tow to Go” program through Thanksgiving and the rest of the holiday season. The program launched back in 1998 and has since then taken nearly 14,000 drunk drivers off of our roadways.

Everyone’s allowed to participate in the program and you can use it to have your vehicle towed home from a restaurant or bar for free if you’ve had too much to drink. All you have to do is call 1-800-AAA-HELP (4357). The program is offered to drivers in Florida, West and Middle Tennessee as well as Georgia.

“The busiest time for the Tow to Go program is during the upcoming holiday season when more than 70 percent of the call volume is received,” said Joanna Newton, Tow to Go program manager, The Auto Club Group.

According to the Florida Highway Patrol, there were more than 12,000 citations issued and nearly 4,000 motorists assisted over the 2010 Thanksgiving holiday weekend. Officers made more than 120 arrests during this time and busted roughly 5,000 drivers for speeding. Another 1,500 were cited for not wearing a seat belt. More than 20 motorists died.

From our Firm to your family, have a safe and Happy Thanksgiving. Celebrate responsibly.
Continue reading →

The tragic deaths of four members of an Orlando family in a Florida drunk driving accident is a stark reminder of how far Florida has to go in preventing the senseless tragedies that frequently occur when someone climbs behind the wheel after having too much to drink.

CNN reports that a father and three sons were killed last Saturday night, while enjoying a guy’s night out at the movies in St. Petersburg. The entire family had rented a cottage. Wives and children are left behind to pick up the pieces.

All four men — ages 51, 28, 24 and 19 — were killed by an accused drunk driver who allegedly ran a red light.

Our Palm Beach injury lawyers and St. Lucie car accident attorneys are dedicated to fighting for the rights of motorists who have been injured or killed in traffic accidents caused by drunk drivers.

The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles recently trumpeted the decline in drunk driving accidents last year: Deaths dropped to 1,004 from 1,169. Yet drunk driving accidents were still responsible for nearly half of the state’s 2,563 traffic fatalities.

More than 20,000 drunk driving accidents occurred in Florida last year, injuring more than 14,000 motorists. That is more than 54 drunk driving crashes every single day.

When national statistics are released in the coming weeks, Florida is likely to remain one of the most dangerous states in the nation for drunk driving accidents. To add insult to injury, the legislature recently passed a law allowing a motorist convicted of four or more DUIs to regain the right to drive. Previously, such habitual offenders faced lifetime loss of their driving privileges.

Nearly one-third of all accidents in the state occur between Palm Beach and Miami, putting this area at extreme risk for serious and fatal drunk driving accidents.
Continue reading →