Articles Posted in Boston Drunk Driving Accidents

The U.S. Coast Guard is warning all boaters of the increased risks for boating accidents in Massachusetts and elsewhere along the Northeastern United States during the upcoming holiday weekend. The Fourth of July not only brings out the most boaters, but it also holds the tragic distinction for being the deadliest time on our waterways.

Over the last 12 Fourth of July holidays, 40 deaths have occurred on our local waters. Boaters of all types are at risk. Of these 40 deaths, 21 happened in motorboats, seven on personal watercraft, seven in canoes, three on sailboats and one each from aboard a pedal boat and a rowboat.

Our Boston personal injury attorneys would first of all like to wish everyone a happy Fourth of July. We’d now like to take the time to ask everyone to be extra safe on our waterways over this three-day weekend. Not only do we experience the most fatal accidents on our roadways during this time period, but we also experience the most boating fatalities as well.

Just as motor-vehicle drivers are asked to not drink and drive, boaters are asked the same. A majority of boating accidents that have occurred during this holiday period involve an intoxicated driver.

“Alcohol has been involved in 45% of our Fourth of July holiday fatalities,” said Al Johnson, the recreational boating specialist for the First Coast Guard District in Boston., “and it impairs your ability to operate a vehicle or vessel. If you plan to use alcohol to fuel your high-spirited celebration of our country’s independence, be realistic and responsible – stay off the road, stay off the water.”

Your best boating insurance for surviving sudden water emergencies is just to simply wear a life jacket. It is required by law that each boat holds a life jacket for every passenger on the boat.

“On the brighter side and with nice summer weather forecasted for the weekend, whether you’re captain of your vessel, a ride-along passenger, an experienced sailor or casual paddler, awareness is the key ingredient for this holiday period,” said Johnson.

The Coast Guard is asking that all boaters that are planning on venturing out on the water this Fourth of July weekend practice safe boating habits — please be responsible and prudent mariners. They also ask that you save the alcohol for when the trip is complete and maintain a constant safety vigil.

Discover Boating offers these tips to boaters to help them to enjoy a safe and relaxing holiday weekend:

-Keep an eye on the weather. Always check weather conditions before venturing out on the water. If you’ve already set sail and you notice darkening clouds, volatile and rough changing winds, or sudden drops in temperature, play it safe and get off the water.

-Use your head. Common sense may be one of the most important parts of boating safety. You should always operate at a safe speed, especially in crowded areas. Stay alert and steer clear of large vessels. Respect buoys and other navigational aids. These devices have been placed there to help keep boaters safe.

-Designate an assistant. Make sure that there is another person on your boat that is familiar with all aspects of your boat’s handling, operations, and other boating safety tips.

-Make sure you’ve got your life jackets. The majority of drowning victims are the result of not wearing a life jacket at the time of a boating accident.

-Stay sober. Keep the alcohol for later. Your chances of being involved in a boating accident doubles once alcohol is involved. A number of studies conclude that the affect of alcohol is exacerbated by external effects such as sun and wind.

-Take advantage of a free vessel safety check. The U.S. Coast Guard offers free boat examinations to help you make sure that you’ve got all of the safety equipment that is required by state and federal regulations. They also help you to make sure that your equipment is in good working order.

“You can relax and enjoy your time on the water, but be aware of what’s going on around you, the weather, the status of your vessel and passengers, as well as the proximity of other vessels – be prepared,” said Johnston.
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The Fourth of July is a popular holiday for families to gather over the long holiday weekend and celebrate our country’s independence. The Greater Boston area provides an endless list of Fourth of July events to attend over the three-day weekend. We wish you an enjoyable holiday weekend. Please celebrate responsibly and do your part to avoid a drunk driving car accident in Boston or anywhere else in Massachusetts.

According to Fox Business, the Fourth of July is the deadliest time of the year to be on our roadways. Every year, more people die on because of traffic accidents than during any other holiday period. The upcoming holiday weekend will kill more people in drunk driving accidents than even New Year’s Day.

Our Boston Drunk Driving Accident Lawyers urge all motorists to be extra cautious during this Fourth of July weekend. We not only ask you to not drink and drive, but we ask you to be on the lookout for motorists who may be intoxicated behind the wheel. With cooperation from everyone, we may be able to increase safety on our roadways and reduce the number of fatal holiday traffic accidents.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the Fourth of July has been the most deadly holiday on our roadways almost every year for the last 25 years. On average, more than 50 percent of all fatal traffic accidents that happen on the Fourth of July are alcohol related.

The most recent traffic accident data for this holiday weekend, which is from two years ago, concludes that 491 people died in car accidents over the three-day Fourth of July weekend. Of these 491 deaths, more than 40 percent of them died as a result of alcohol-impaired driving.

It’s true that most people think that New Year’s Day, or rather late New Year’s Eve, is the most deadly time on our roadways. For this reason, a lot of people stay off our roadways during this time. Most people don’t fear drunk driving accidents as much during the Fourth of July, which is why more motorists turn up on the road during this time.

“Drunk driving is a major public safety threat that still claims thousands of lives every year,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “Many states continue to step up their efforts to get drunk drivers off our roads, but the numbers tell us we have to do more.”

Drunk driving accidents on holiday weekend produced these fatalities in 2009:

-Fourth of July (3-day period): 410 deaths, more than 40 percent alcohol related.

-Labor Day (3-day period): 360 deaths, 38 percent alcohol related.

-Memorial Day (3-day period): 473 deaths, 42 percent alcohol related.

-New Year’s (4-day period): 468 deaths, 40 percent alcohol related
-Thanksgiving (4-day period): 411 deaths, 34 percent alcohol related.

-Christmas (3-day period): 262 deaths, 37 percent alcohol related.

Our Boston drunk driving attorneys wish everyone a safe and happy Fourth of July and ask that you be sure to designate a driver if you’re going to be drinking.

Here’s what you should do if you think you see a drunk driver on our roadways this weekend:

-Try to get the make, model, color and license plate number of the vehicle. Don’t get close to the vehicle to do so. Keep your distance.

-Call police and tell them the vehicle information along with a description of the driver if possible.

-Tell dispatchers the location of the vehicle and the direction it’s headed.

-Let law enforcement handle it from here. They are trained for these situations and ask that you do not take matters into your own hands.

By reporting a drunk driver this holiday weekend you might just be helping to save the life of an innocent motorist.
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