South Florida Injury Lawyers Blog
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.
If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident with a drunk driver in St. Lucie, Pompano Beach or in any of the surrounding areas, contact our personal injury lawyers of Freeman, Mallard, Sharp & Gonzalez, LLC for a confidential appointment to discuss your rights. Call 1-800-529-2368.
More Blog Entries:
Daylight Saving Time Brings Increased Risks of Car Accidents in Royal Palm Beach, South Florida Injury Lawyers Blog, November 21, 2011
Drowsy Driving Prevention Week Raises Awareness of Preventable Car Accidents in Pompano Beach and Elsewhere, South Florida Injury Lawyers Blog, November 10, 2011