Articles Posted in Drunk Driving in Massachusetts

On November 20, 2012, Wicked Local Walpole published an article reporting that police in Walpole, Mass. were encouraging bartenders to “look for heroes.” The request was made as part of a month-long national campaign to encourage designated drivers and to reduce the risk of drunk driving accidents.

Our Boston drunk driving accident lawyers commend the efforts of the Walpole police in encouraging bars and restaurants to reward designated drivers. The Look for Heroes campaign is an important way to draw attention to the life-saving role played by designated drivers and those going out celebrating this holiday season should be on the lookout for bars that are participating.

Understanding the HERO Campaign to Stop Drunk Driving
The police request that bartenders recognize “heroes,” is part of a national campaign started by a New Jersey family who lost their son in a tragic drunk driving accident. The idea behind the campaign is that bartenders or servers should identify a person in each group of patron who is the designated driver for the group. The server should then provide free water and soft drinks to the designated driver so that he or she is not encouraged to drink alcohol and so he is rewarded and recognized for the role he is playing in getting his friends home safe.

Walpole police who are participating in the Hero campaign began a letter writing project in Mid-November requesting that pubs in the town both participate and display a decal in their windows alerting customers to the fact that they are participating. According to Wicked Locale Walpole, Deputy Police Chief John Carmichael believes that the hero campaign could help to improve business and could be a further push to eliminate drunk driving in Massachusetts.

Many bars in the area are expected to participate since most already do their part to try to stop drunk driving. One bar manager indicated that it was their policy to keep an eye on patrons and to provide a cab for those who have had too much to drink, paid for at the expense of the bar. This helps to ensure that no one drinks and drives.

Designated Drivers Save Lives
The hero campaign is so named because it is believed that designated drivers are heroes. By helping people to get home, they could save not only the lives of their friends but also the lives of innocent patrons on the road who could be hit by a drunk driver.

Anyone who is going out drinking should bring a designated driver to remove the temptation to drink. This is true even if a person is having only a few drinks, since many of the arrests in Walpole are reportedly made after a driver has three or four drinks and believes he is sober enough to drive. With a designated driver, the worry about whether you are sober enough to drive or not is eliminated and there is no risk to innocent victims of losing their lives in a drunk driving accident.
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According to Boston.com, the number of traffic accidents and car accident fatalities is higher between Thanksgiving and New Years every year than at any other time of the year.

While there are many reasons for the increase in fatalities, drunk driving is one major contributing factor.

Drunk driving is always a major risk, but with so many parties and celebrations, more people tend to drive drunk over the holiday season than at other times of the year. Law enforcement recognizes this phenomenon and is cracking down on DUIs this holiday season. Our Boston drunk driving accident lawyers support their efforts and want to remind you of the dangers of drunk driving over the holiday period.

Drunk Drivers Over Thanksgiving Weekend 2012
Traditionally, Thanksgiving kicks off the danger season during which more traffic accident fatalities occur than at other points during the year. This year, however, CBS Boston reports that there were no deadly crashes over the Thanksgiving weekend. CBS Boston noted that this was unusual because statistics show an increased risk of accidents over the four-day Thanksgiving holiday.

The fact that there were no drunk driving fatalities during the 2012 Thanksgiving season is a great thing, but unfortunately the lack of crashes cannot be attributed to the fact that everyone refrained from drunk driving. In fact, there were a very high number of drunk driving arrests over the weekend:

• State troopers arrested 13 drunk drivers in Southeastern Massachusetts along Routes 24 and 195 on the Friday and Saturday evenings following Thanksgiving.
• There were 21 drivers arrested for driving while impaired at DUI checkpoints in Lowell on Friday and in Canton on Saturday.
• One driver believed to have been impaired was involved in a head-on crash when driving in the wrong direction on the Braga Bridge over the weekend. The driver was seriously injured in the crash, but it is unclear whether anyone else was hurt.

These dozens of arrests show that people were still taking dangerous risks and driving drunk over the holiday. The fact that they were not involved in accidents can be attributed both to luck and to the efforts of law enforcement to cut down on drunk driving accidents.

State police from the six New England states will be joining forces this year to try to avoid the increase in fatalities that always happens during the holiday season, and CBS News reports that one of the issues they are focusing on is drunk driving. More police enforcement will be going on throughout the holiday season and state troopers will be stationed every few miles on highways to attempt to identify and stop drunk drivers before they do damage.

Protecting Yourself This Holiday Season
This holiday season, it is important to avoid driving drunk to keep yourself and your family safe. Unfortunately, protecting yourself against other drivers who choose to drive while impaired can be difficult since you never know when a drunk driver will present a danger. Simply being aware of the increased risk of drunk driving accidents over the holiday season may be helpful in avoiding crashes, and you should also consider avoiding areas near bars and clubs during the times when drunk driving accidents are most likely to occur.

If you are injured in a crash with a drunk driver, or if one of your family members is injured, you may be able to take legal action to hold the driver responsible.
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According to Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) and a recent study, there are alarmingly high acquittal rates for drunk driving cases at trial here in Massachusetts.

It’s all a result of what officials call “judge shopping,” courts allowing the defendants to refuse BAC tests to be used as evidence in these trials and for attorneys to argue timeframe issues for BAC tests.

The end result is far too many drunk drivers being let back on our roadways.

Our Boston drunk driving accident attorneys understand that our system may be broken. “Justice” in drunk driving cases isn’t oftentimes served to the victim. It’s the drunk drivers who are given the leniency. Currently, officials with MADD are urging legislators to make changes to their system to not only punish these dangerous drivers, but to help to protect innocent travelers. MADD officials suggest that all drivers convicted should be required to use an ignition interlock for a minimum of 6 months.

Ignition interlocks have been proven to be effective in keep drunk drivers who have already been convicted off of our roadways. You see, it’s not unlikely for these drivers to hop behind the wheel even with no driver’s license. These devices help to stop them from doing so. Driver’s license suspensions just aren’t enough. According to studies, anywhere between 50 and 70 percent of drivers with license suspensions continue to drive anyway. Because of this irresponsible behavior, we continue to lose thousands in these preventable accidents year after year.

Those who have been convicted and have these devices are still allowed to drive to school and work, but they have to do so sober. These devices have been found to stop repeat offenders by close to 7 percent. Ignition interlocks play a key role in MADD’s efforts to stop drunk driving. States like Arizona and Oregon have seen the number of deaths resulting from drunk driving accidents cut in half since they enacted laws for ignition interlocks.

You can help to change this. All you have to do is contact our Massachusetts legislators and ask them to support ignition interlocks for all drunk driving offenders.

Remember that drunk driving car accidents are completely preventable. There’s never a reason to get behind the wheel after consuming alcohol, whether it’s your first time or the 100th time. Still, drivers continue to face these risks each and every day and thousands are killed each year because of it. Each time you get behind the wheel after consuming alcohol, you’re not only risking your own life, but the lives of innocent travelers as well!
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The risks for drunk driving car accidents are only going to increase through the rest of the year. It all starts with Halloween.

To tackle that problem, officers throughout the state of Massachusetts are pushing their “Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving” campaign. From the 25th of October through the 4th of November, officers throughout the state searched our roadways for intoxicated drivers. The efforts will be continuing on however, as we just entered the two most dangerous months out of the year for these types of accidents.

Our Boston drunk driving accident lawyers understand that these risks are only supposed to get worse as more and more drunk drivers hit the roads through the long year-end holiday travel season. These increases come with football season and with the holidays. For these reasons, we’re asking drivers to have a plan — a plan to get home safely. You should never get behind the wheel after consuming alcohol, even if you’re convinced you’re not drunk.

“Too often, impaired drivers never spend a minute to plan ahead for their designated driver,” said Hingham Traffic Sergeant Steven Dearth.

During the 2011 Halloween weekend, there were close to 120 people killed in alcohol-related car accidents. There were also close to 3,000 injuries and close to 15,000 arrests for these same incidents. The stats for 2012 have not been released yet, but with recent trends, we can only expect the worst. The problem is that drivers think they’re invincible behind the wheel. They think that since they’ve gotten away with it before, they’ll get away with it again. But it only takes once!

Let’s all work together to make the remainder of the year, also the most dangerous time of the year, to be one of the safest yet. All of these accidents are completely preventable with a little bit of planning. Be smart and be safe out there!

Drinking and Football Season:

We can all take some advice from the New England Patriots. They continue to urge football fans to drink responsibly. it’s true that football goes together with booze like peanut butter goes with jelly, but it’s important that you pair these responsibly. This is why the Patriots have launched their Designated Driver Program. Fans can register as a Designated Driver at Gillette Stadium and they will receive a complimentary non-alcoholic beverage. Designated drivers will also be eligible for entry in raffle prize drawings.

Underage drinking in Massachusetts:

Underage drinking cost the state close to $1.5 billion in 2010 alone. These costs include work loss, pain, suffering and medical care. You might think your teen isn’t going to drink because they’re too young, but the truth of the matter is that they can get their hands on it. As a matter of fact, of all of the teen drivers killed in car accidents in 2010, about a third of them tested positive for alcohol. Talk with your teen about these dangers today!
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Officers with the Boston Police Department arrested a man from North Attleboro in Dorchester over the weekend and are charging him with drunk driving. You’ll never believe it, but the man allegedly sprayed cologne in his mouth as he was being pulled over. Officers believe he did it to cover the smell of the alcohol that was on his breath.

It all happened when the reportedly intoxicated driver ran into a parked dump truck, belonging to Boston Water and Sewer, just before 9:00 p.m. at the intersection of Belden and Dudley streets. The driver of the dump truck got out of his vehicle and approached the other vehicle to get the driver’s information to file a report. He didn’t get much accomplished considering the intoxicated driver fell asleep in the middle of their conversation. At one point in the mix, the driver attempted to flee the scene but wasn’t able to because his vehicle was damaged so badly.

Our Dorchester drunk driving accident attorneys understand that the driver of the dump truck told officers, once they arrived on scene, that the alleged drunk driver sprayed his cologne into his mouth. Boston Police Officers saw him do it a second time and saw him spray it all over his body. According to accident reports, the man was not able to balance himself, his breath wreaked of alcohol and he had bloodshot eyes. They arrested the driver and have charged him with operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol, according to The Boston Globe.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there are more than 110 annual incidents of residents drinking and driving. That’s right. Adults get behind the wheel that many times a year, and most of them are never busted.

“The four million adults who drink and drive each year put everyone on the road at risk,” said Thomas R. Frieden, M.D., M.P.H., Director with the CDC.

Each and every year, there are more than 10,000 people who are killed in these completely preventable car accident.

According to the most recent study from the CDC, men are more likely than women to get behind the wheel intoxicated — more than 80 percent more likely as a matter of fact.

The young the driver is the more likely they are to get into one of these accidents. Young men, those between the ages of 21 and 34, only accounted for about 10 percent of the nation’s population, but they accounted for more than 30 percent of all of the drinking and driving episodes in 2010.

Drinking and driving is no joke! As we round out the rest of 2012, these incidents are only expected to get more common, with the winter travel season and with the holiday season. Make sure you’re on your best behavior behind the wheel, you’re sober and you’re not spraying cologne in your mouth. Safe driving habits mean a safe trip and one trip less to the hospital.
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According to the latest reports, the number of drunk driving incidents among teenagers has dropped by close to 55 percent since 1991.

My FOX Boston reports officials with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are saying that while the decrease is something to be proud of, there is still much more that needs to be done to help to put an end to the risky driving behavior displayed by our newly-licensed drivers.

Although the numbers have dropped, drunk driving among teenagers is probably a little more common than they might ever have imagined. According to reports, high school students are estimated to drink and drive close to 2.5 million times each and every month. Of the students polled who admitted to drinking and driving at least once over the last 30 days, close to 90 percent of them report that they binge drank.

Our Quincy drunk driving car accident lawyers understand that teenagers are about three times more likely to get into a deadly car accident than any other age group of drivers. According to the CDC, about 20 percent of teen drivers who were involved in a deadly car accident in 2010 reported alcohol in their system. Among young residents who were surveyed for alcohol consumption, in people over the age of 12, guys were more likely than the gals to drive under the influence.

All too often, parents are naive and think just because they’re young driver isn’t legally allowed to purchase or to consume alcohol that they’re not going to do it. The truth of the matter is that booze is a popular commodity with high school kids nationwide. Be sure to talk with your kid about the dangers that are associated with consuming alcohol, not only the dangers for car accidents, but the risks that are associated with their health and with potentially going to jail. These are all potential life-changing risks, too!

The truth of the matter is than teens don’t just drink, because when they do — they drink a lot!

Who Reported Binge Drinking?

-More than 5 percent of 8th graders.

-More than 15 percent of high school sophomores.

-Close to 25 percent of high school seniors.

The U.S. Surgeon General reports that roughly 5,000 children who are under the age of 21 die every year because of underage drinking. Most of these fatalities are the result of car accidents, homicides and even suicides. Teens who drink are at some serious risks for other injuries, like lifelong alcohol usage and abuse. It’s important that parents and guardians start now in reducing these risks for our teens.

Talk with your teen about the risks, the dangers and the consequences that are associated with drinking and driving. Enact your own household driving rules to make sure that there are strict consequences for anyone who is busted drinking, let alone driving! Stay active in your child’s whereabouts. Know who they’re with, where they’re going, what they’ll be doing and when they’re planning on returning.
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Police officers in Hingham recently arrested a man who was allegedly driving under the influence — with two kids in the car. According to the Boston Globe, officers were alerted just before 7:00 p.m. by a 71-year-old man who said he was driving behind a vehicle that was swerving all over the road. When officers arrived on scene, they located the car and pulled it over.

Witnesses report that the car was “all over the road.” When everyone stopped at a red light, the witness who called the cops approached the driver and said he shouldn’t be driving. The driver pulled over and the guy who called the cops stopped right behind him with his hazard lights on. Officers report that they found a 7- and 10-year-old in the vehicle. The car was still running and was in “drive” as well. Officers also report that the man was slurring his words, his eyes were glassy and he smelled of alcohol. He was reportedly swaying in the driver’s seat, too.

Our Hingham car accident lawyers understand that intoxicated individuals don’t always make the best of decisions, like getting behind the wheel — with two kids in the car! Officers say that the man said he wasn’t drinking and he also agreed to sobriety tests. When he got out of the car, officers report that he fell back into the door of the car and started to stumble around. Officers had to grab him to stop him from falling. They attempted to conduct a sobriety test, but discontinued for the safety of the driver.

Eventually, he admitted to drinking, saying he only had two beers. Officers found an open bottle of water which they say smelled like liquor and not water. The man was 44-years-old and was from Connecticut. He was arrested and officials have charged him with driving on a suspended license, driving to endanger, driving with an open container, 2 counts of OUI with child endangerment and OUI Alcohol.

He has also been banned from driving in the state of Massachusetts pending payment of a license reinstatement fee. He was held at the Plymouth County House of Correction on a $250 cash bail.

The two kids in the car were taken to the police station and were eventually picked up by their mom. The Department of Children and Families filed a 51A on their behalf.

So far this year, police officers in Hingham have received about 350 phone calls for erratic operation. Officers are encouraging drivers to keep it up and report anyone displaying irresponsible driving habits.

When reporting a suspected drunk driver to officers, make sure that you report the details while keeping your distance. Get the make, color, model, location, direction and license plate number of the car and a description of the driver if possible. Don’t interact with the driver though and keep yourself safe!
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One man will be going to trial in March after being labeled a repeat offender — for drunk driving. In his most recent accident, he is being accused of causing the death of a local woman.

This was a five-car accident that happened back in February. According to that accident report, the driver was observed swerving through traffic erratically in Sheffield on Route 7. The vehicle slammed head-on into another vehicle and then slammed into another car before it finally stopped on top of another vehicle. One driver was pronounced dead on the scene.

According to The Berkshire Eagle, the 35-year-old driver has entered a not guilty plea to nine different charges, including operating to endanger, driving under the influence of alcohol, motor vehicle homicide and his fifth drunk driving offense. If found guilty on the motor vehicular homicide he could face 15 years behind bars.

Our drunk driving accident attorneys understand that drivers who are convicted of one drunk driving offense are likely to be convicted of another. As a matter of fact, Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) reports that about a third of all drivers who are arrested for driving under the influence are actually repeat offenders. In 2010 alone, there were more than 1.4 million people who were arrested for drunk driving in the United States.

Drunk Driving Statistics:

-About half of all of the drivers who were killed in car accidents who returned positive test results for having drugs in their system also had alcohol in their system.

-For people over the age of 12, men were more likely than women to drive under the influence of alcohol.

-Drivers between the ages of 21 and 25 were most likely to drive while under the influence of alcohol. The second most common age group to engage in this dangerous behavior was those between the ages of 25 and 34.

-The average person is able to metabolize a drink an hour.

-Nothing can sober you up aside from time. Showers and coffee don’t help.

-There were close to 110 people killed in drunk driving car accidents in Massachusetts in 2010.

-In 2010, there were more than 210 kids who were killed in drunk driving car accidents in the U.S. Of these fatalities, more than 60 percent of them were riding in the car with the drunk driver.

-Drunk driving car accidents are much more common on weekend days rather than week days.

-Drunk driving car accidents are four times more common during the evening hours rather than during the daytime.

-Reports conclude that adult driver drank alcohol and got behind the wheel more than 110 million times in 2010. This means that it happened nearly 350,000 times each day.

-In 2011, there were close to 65,000 victims of drunk driving car accidents.

-There are close to 30 people who are killed in drunk driving car accidents in the country each day.

-Drunk driving car accidents cost the country more than $130 billion every year.

-Car accidents are the number one cause of death for teenagers. About a third of these accidents are alcohol related.

-Teen alcohol consumption kills about 6,000 people each year. That’s more than all illegal drugs combined.
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“We lost a soldier not to war, but to a drunk driver,” read the sign of a great-aunt who lost her niece in a drunk driving car accident. According to The Sun Chronicle, her great-niece was 24-years-old when the accident occurred. She was a mother and a member of the Massachusetts National Guard.

She was killed in an accident with an irresponsible and drunk driver. Members of the young girl’s family and even her younger brother stood along Route 152 last week, right down the road from where the accident happened, and displayed signs with a message — drunk driving kills!

“Too many people have lost a loved one to drunk driving. Get a designated driver and make sure this doesn’t happen to you,” said the victim’s great-aunt.

Our Attleboro drunk driving car accident lawyers understand the risks will remain high through the remainder of the year and the year-end holiday season. It’s an irresponsible move that can take your own life and can take the lives of innocent travelers around you. According to the most recent statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), about a third of all fatal car accidents in the United States involve one of these irresponsible and careless drivers. In 2010 alone, there were close to 10,300 people who died in these accidents.

The Attleboro family is also asking for donations from members of the community to help to cover the costs of the funeral. They say that it’s not something that they had planned on and so it’s putting a hardship on them. They just want to help to spread the word about the dangers of drunk driving. One day, the family would like to start a foundation to try to help other families who have fallen victim to the consequences of drunk driving.

If you would like to make a donation, you can drop it off at any branch of the Bristol County Savings Bank. For monetary donations, please make out your donations to the Kaisha Lynn Guerrini Memorial Fund. This is going to help to benefit her son’s future educational needs.

Each and every year, there are thousands of people across the country who we lose because of drunk driviers. According to the NHTSA, there were more than 140 people who were killed in alcohol-related car accidents in 2010 in the state of Massachusetts. Of those who died, there were close to 100 who were killed in accidents involving a driver who was really drunk and had a blood alcohol concentration of .15 or higher. Close to 100 were killed in an accident involving a driver who was legally drunk, or .08 or higher.
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