Articles Posted in Drunk Driving in Massachusetts

A man from Lowell who already had two DUI convictions was recently arrested for a possible third charge of driving under the influence, even though his vehicle had an ignition interlock device.

According to My FOX Boston, the 46-year-old driver was pulled over in Pelham just after 1:00 p.m. after being reported slamming into a tree at the intersection of Simpson Mill and Hobbs roads. He was reported a number of times for driving “all over the roadway.” After being stopped by officers, it was clear that he was “highly intoxicated and very unsteady on his feet,” according to authorities. He was not only in possession of a number of empty alcoholic beverages, but also in possession of marijuana. He reportedly failed a number of sobriety tests, was arrested and is now facing charges of transportation of marijuana, possession of marijuana, conduct after an accident, aggravated driving while intoxicated as well as driving while intoxicated.

Our Boston drunk driving injury lawyers understand that this particular driver after convictions on driving charges in Lowell in 1984 and once in 2009 in North Carolina. This driver was instructed by courts to install an ignition interlock device on his vehicle under Melanie’s Law. In the state of Massachusetts, the law requires drivers to have these devices is they’ve been convicted of DUI multiple times.
Continue reading

In a recent Reading drunk driving accident, a 71-year-old man was killed while stopped in the breakdown lane of Route 95 North. According to CBS Boston, a 32-year-old driver from Brockton faces charges of vehicular homicide.

Accident reports indicate that it is unclear why the elderly man was stopped in the breakdown lane. But he was struck by the intoxicated driver. The female driver was reportedly on her way home from work when the accident happened, but was unable to explain why she was in the northbound lane if she was heading back to Brockton. Although she claimed only to have had one beer, she failed a number of sobriety tests, according to auhtorities. She was held on $10,000 cash bail.

In the state of Massachusetts, there were close to 115 people killed in alcohol-related traffic accidents in 2011. These accidents accounted for about 40 percent of the total number of traffic accident fatalities throughout the year. More than 15 percent of these accidents involved drivers who had a BAC of .15 of higher, which is about twice the legal limit.
Continue reading

With a new casino planning to make its home in the area, residents are concerned about the potential impact on drunk driving car accidents in Milford. According to The Metro West Daily News, casinos increase the risks of these deadly accidents. Foxwoods wants to build a resort casino in Milford that would be open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, attracting approximately 7 million people each year.

In Ledyard, Connecticut, another Foxwoods casino is being blamed for a near 3 percent increase in the number of drunk driving accidents each year since the casino opened. And that city has about 10,000 fewer people than Milford. The city has a drunk driving rate more than 50 percent higher than the county, which might not be surprising consider the casino’s around-the-clock schedule.

Our Milford accident lawyers understand that casinos present greater risk for all travelers. This includes children. In Milford, there are 15 schools and close to 20 childcare centers within a 4-mile radius of the casino. Casinos have been introduced throughout the U.S. to spur economic development and generate tax revenue. Yet, casinos may also be associated with a variety of social ills. One issue that has not been empirically tested in the literature is whether there is a link between casino expansion and alcohol-related fatal traffic accidents.
Continue reading

Nationwide, drunk driving awareness campaigns, safety experts and legislators have urged for stricter drunk driving penalties. Now advocates are urging Massachusetts lawmakers to pass a bill that would expand the requirement for ignition interlock devices to include both repeat offenders as well as first time drunk drivers. Advocates for the expansion of Melanie’s Law purpose that the new requirement would prevent certain drivers from putting other motorists and passengers at risk. Ultimately, expanding the law could prevent accidents and save lives.

Drunk driving accidents continue to pose a threat to other drivers, pedestrians, cyclists and passengers. Our Massachusetts drunk driving accident attorneys are experienced with the widespread impact of drunk driving cases. We are also dedicated to staying abreast of current developments in anti-drunk driving campaigns and legislation that aims to reduce the number of drunk driving accidents on the roads.

One of the primary advocates for the law was a man whose granddaughter was killed by a drunk driver. Advocates are seeking expansion of a 2006 law, known as “Melanie’s Law” which was named after the victim, Melanie Powell. Melanie’s grandfather testified that Massachusetts needs to take additional and aggressive steps to prevent future drunk driving fatalities. The proposal to require first time offenders to use an ignition interlock device was one of several issues involving highway safety.
Continue reading

One of the tragedies of drunk-driving accidents is that victims are often innocent bystanders, pedestrians, motorists and passengers. In a recent Massachusetts drunk driving collision, four children were injured and hospitalized, another tragic illustration of the dangers of drinking and driving. While the children survived the accident, the collision serves as a reminder of the almost common-place nature of drinking and driving and the pervasive and deadly threat of drunk drivers.

Drunk drivers should be held accountable for their actions. Our Massachusetts drinking and driving accident attorneys are experienced in the complex investigation of drunk driving collisions. We are committed to holding drunk drivers liable and in protecting the rights of innocent victims and their families. Our legal team is aware of the widespread abuse of drinking and driving and is dedicated to raising awareness to prevent future accidents.

According to reports, there were four children in a vehicle when it rolled over on Interstate 291 in a drunk driving accident. The authorities were immediately notified and responded to the chaotic scene of the accident in the westbound lanes near exit 3 around 11:45 p.m. The Massachusetts State Troopers reported that the children were riding in a vehicle when it collected with another car and it flipped.
Continue reading

Drunk driving accidents are devastating for victims, especially when they result in serious injury or even death. Intoxicated drivers who take someone’s life when they are driving drunk are subject to both criminal sanctions and civil liability in order to punish them for what they have done and to try to compensate devastated family members for a loss that can never be erased. Now, however, Business Insider reports that some drunk drivers are trying to escape murder convictions by arguing that they were “too drunk” to be guilty of murder.

Our Boston drunk driving accident lawyers know that the risks of drunk driving are widely publicized and that every single driver on the road should be aware of the laws prohibiting drunk driving. With motorists knowing how dangerous drunk driving is, it is difficult to make the argument that an intoxicated driver should be able to avoid a murder conviction by using the excuse that he was too drunk to commit the crime.
Continue reading

Attitudes about marijuana use have changed significantly in recent years. Washington State and Colorado both legalized recreational use of marijuana, while 20 states and D.C. now allow marijuana to be used for medicinal reasons. The Department of Justice has also shifted its attitude towards states that have legalized marijuana, indicating that the DOJ will now mostly leave it up to the states how they want to handle pot growers, sellers and smokers.

Changing laws reflect a public that is much more accepting of the widespread use of marijuana for recreation. Pew Research polls show that 52 percent of Americans believe marijuana should be legal, and support extends to groups at both ends of the political spectrum with both liberals and libertarians expressing the belief that the government should not prohibit marijuana use. While this movement is gaining traction, however, Boston drunk driving lawyers know it is important to remember that it is still dangerous to drive while impaired by marijuana.
Continue reading

Zero tolerance laws in Massachusetts prohibit young drivers from consuming even a single drink and getting behind the wheel. Unfortunately, many teens are having far more than just one beer. Studies show that extreme binge drinking is common among high school seniors. Unfortunately, teens who engage in extreme binge drinking are likely to be so intoxicated that their judgment may be impaired and they may decide to drive while intoxicated or to get in the car with someone who is drunk.

Our Boston drunk driving accident lawyers know that the more someone has to drink, the greater the risk that he or she will cause an accident and injure himself or someone else. Teens who binge drink need to understand the serious risk of getting into a car when they’ve consumed so much alcohol, and parents need to be aware that binge drinking is a popular yet dangerous phenomenon among young people.
Continue reading

(BEING EDITED)

Officials with Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) have teamed up with the National Football League (NFL) for the fourth year in a row to help to promote safe and sober driver throughout the professional football season. The message here is to make sure that everyone’s got a designated, sober driver.

Officials with MADD will be joining in on some of the NFL games this year and talking with fans about their designated driver. They’ll be providing useful information for everyone as well as roaming the parking lots to help to promote.

Our Boston drunk driving car accident lawyers understand that we’ve got some hardcore New England Patriots in the area, and we also understand we’ve got some serious drinkers here, too. We’re not telling you not to drink, we’re just asking that you don’t get behind the wheel after doing so. Through the four-year partnership between officials with MADD and with the NFL, they have been able to raise their participation for non-drinking designated drivers by about 30 percent each and every year.
Continue reading

Nationwide, legislators, law enforcement officers and courts are tough on repeat drunk drivers, especially when those offenders are responsible for causing accidents that result in injury or death. Ten years ago, a drunk driver maimed a New York City police officer while on vacation in Florida. Now the same driver has plead guilty to injuring two Massachusetts men in another catastrophic drunk driving accident.

Drunk drivers must be held accountable for their actions, both in criminal court and in civil cases. Our Massachusetts drunk driving accident attorneys are experienced with helping our clients protect their rights and aggressively pursue claims against negligent individuals and entities. We are experienced in handling complex cases involving repeat offenders and will take every necessary step to ensure that responsible parties are held accountable. Our legal team is also committed to raising awareness about the dangers of alcoholism and repeat drunk driving to stop future accidents, injuries and preventable fatalities.
Continue reading