Articles Posted in Drunk Driving in Massachusetts

Recent news reveals that the number of drunk driving car accidents in Boston and elsewhere is up close to 10 percent for the first half of 2012.

Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) is responding to this news and saying that now is as good of a time as ever to start cracking down on these irresponsible and careless drivers! Advocates urged the country to fully implement and double-down on the Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving. According to Jan Withers, the National President for MADD it’s time for all states to join the fight and to pass laws to make sure that all drunk driving offenders get an ignition interlock device.

Our Boston drunk driving accident lawyers understand that MADD has been pushing for the all-offender ignition interlock law since 2006.

Since that time, more than 15 states have enacted this law. According to accident and arrest reports, these systems are effective in preventing drunk driving car accidents. States like Oregon and Arizona have been able to enjoy a 50 percent reduction in these incidents since the passing of their laws. Another dose of good news is that the number of ignition interlock devices using by drunk driving offenders has more than doubled in the last few years, going from only about 100,000 to close to 280,000.

Drunk driving car accidents continue to take the lives of about a third of all people who are killed in car accidents every year. These kinds of accidents are actually 100 percent preventable. As a matter of fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and close to 20 other organizations that have conducted studies into the matter prove that these devices can cut down on the number of drunk driving offenses by close to 70 percent.

“If all states enacted and enforced effective interlock laws, the nation would reverse this alarming trend in highway deaths,” Withers said.

Back in July, Congress backed one of MADD’s anti-drunk driving campaigns and handed out over $20 million for an ignition interlock incentive grant program. This was all a part of the most recent advancement of the most recent transportation legislation — MAP-21. Under this program, states that pass this ignition interlock law for all offenders are able to get some of this funding to help to fund their programs.

In the state of Massachusetts, there were more than 100 people who were killed in car accidents that involved a driver who was legally drunk. These accidents and these fatalities accounted for 32 percent of the total traffic fatalities for the year. In addition, there were another 150 people killed in car accidents that involved a driver who was under the influence of alcohol, but who was not considered to be legally drunk. None of these deaths had to happen!
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The guy has had his driver’s license taken away more than 20 times, but he continues to find himself in jail over and over and owing the state thousands of dollars — for repeated charges of driving under the influence of alcohol in Massachusetts.

According to Enterprise News, the 27-year-old driver has been busted for driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs a number of times and for driving without a valid driver’s license. Safe driving advocates are saying that this is a perfect example as to why the state’s laws against drunk drivers aren’t effective in keeping these drivers from recommitting the crime.

“There always is some element who are incorrigible, who no matter what you do short of put them in prison are going to drink and drive,” said David Deiuliis with the Massachusetts Chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving.

Boston drunk driving accident lawyers understand that Melanie’s Law here in Massachusetts is used to try to keep repeat drunk drivers off of the road. It was enacted back in 2005 after a 13-year-old girl from Marshfield was killed by a repeat offender. Unfortunately, this law only goes so far. The 27-year-old driver was indicted back in September on charges for his third-offense drunken driving. If he’s found guilty, then he could be sentenced to five years behind bars. Jail time doesn’t always stop these repeat offenders though.

The driver’s bad record started back in 2002 when he was only 16-years-old. He was busted for stealing/concealing a car in Brockton. His first drunk driving charge came just a year later in 2003. He was again slapped with a drunk-driving charge just 3 months later when he was 18. In 2004, he was charged with driving while under the influence of marijuana and again for drunk driving in 2005.

His most recent drunk driving charges come from a Brockton accident back in December of 2010. His driver’s license was revoked long before that, but that didn’t stop him from driving. He hopped in another person’s vehicle to go pick up a 7-year-old child. The accident happened when he allegedly drove the borrowed vehicle into a parked car, with the child passenger unbelted in the front seat. According to local officers, the man was so intoxicated that he wasn’t even able to tell authorities his birthday. He also couldn’t spell the kid’s name.

Since then, he’s been issued three different arrest warrants for violating the terms of his bail. He’s been sentenced to two months in jail without bail twice since 2010. One of these sentences stemmed from a bust for driving without a driver’s license and for driving with an open container.

Judges ordered him to wear a GPS monitoring device after that. The grand jury from Plymouth County handed up indictments against the driver back in September.

In addition to drunk driving (felony), he is also facing a charge of reckless endangerment of a child.
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Our Boston drunk driving accident attorneys have recently been discussing the impact of football season on drunk driving. We’ve talked about the details regarding our local college teams and their tailgate parties, but we’ve got a whole ‘nother game go worry about — the NFL!

Officials with Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) have recently joined forces with the National Football League (NFL) to urge fans to join in on the designated driver game. This is one of the most important positions to play during the season. To help to get more fans to use designated drivers, and to get people to volunteer to be a designated driver, officials with MADD will be at many NFL games during the fall season to promote driver safety. This is the third year in a row in which officials have reached out to help to make sure everyone makes it home from these games safely!

Typically, tailgate parties are not legal, but they are overlooked because everyone does it anyway. However, there are a few places that enforce the “No Tailgating Policy”. According to the books, you can tailgate in only two areas here in Massachusetts. They are the Foxboro Stadium and The Tweeter Center (Great Woods). If you try having a tailgate party anywhere else, like the Fleet Center or Worcester Centrum, you run the risk of being arrested for public drinking.

Officials with MADD and with the NFL are also working to prevent the near 6,000 alcohol-related fatalities that happen every year to teenagers. Teenagers can take a stand against underage drinking by taking the pledge through MADD’s Power of You(th) Facebook page. The pledge helps teens to stay away from the booze until they’re 21-years-old. It also asks them to take the pledge to stay out of the vehicle of any driver who has been consuming alcohol. When a teen takes this pledge, they’re automatically entered into a drawing to win official NFL gear from their favorite team!

There were close to 120 people who were killed in drunk driving car accidents in the state of Massachusetts in 2010. In addition to these fatalities, there were close to 3,000 injuries. Officials were able to make arrests of nearly 15,000 intoxicated drivers, too.

The saddest part about these kinds of accidents is that they’re completely preventable. There is never anything or anyone forcing an intoxicated person to get behind the wheel. But there can be someone to stop someone from driving. Be a safe and responsible fan this season and make sure your NFL family makes it home safe!
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Remember the accident last year in which the driver of a U-Haul truck full of kegs of beer ran right into a 30-year-old woman from Massachusetts, killing her and injuring two others? As we recently reported on our Boston Drunk Driving Accident Lawyer Blog, that occurred at a Harvard-Yale tailgate party.

With the football season here once again, these risks are back, too.

With the football season and with tailgate parties, we see football fans who drink too much and who continue to get behind the wheel of a motor vehicle. Football and booze go hand-in-hand. During the start of this year’s season, we’re asking all fans to behave responsibly and to make sure that there is always a designated driver. There should never be a reason to get behind the wheel after consuming alcohol.

Our Boston drunk driving accident lawyers understand that football season gets pretty intense here in the state of Massachusetts. We’ve got so many team rivalries all fighting for the same thing — the win and the championship. Each university has its own restrictions and regulations for tailgaters but not all of them work universally. At Harvard specifically, there is no tailgating allowed in the HBS parking lots. Commercial vehicles, such as U-Hauls, Winnebagos and RV’s aren’t even allowed to park in the parking facility.

Make sure you check out, review and share all of the rules and the regulations regarding tailgate parties at the schools you’ll be visiting before game day. It’s a small step you can make to help to safely kickoff college game day!

Harvard Tailgating:

-Tailgating is permitted within the Soldier Field Athletic Complex.

-University Police remind fans that rules are strictly enforced.

-You’re allowed to park and tailgate within the athletic complex, but not within the parking lot of the Harvard Business School.

-Parking lots will be open two hours before the game for tailgating.

-No one is allowed to tailgate once the game has begun.

-Each vehicle can use up only one parking spot. The area right behind the vehicle can be used for tailgating.

-Never block more than one parking spot or the parking rows.

-Corporate sampling, promotional and give-a-way vehicles are required to have written permission from the Harvard Athletic Marketing before they’re allowed to enter any parking lot.

-Kegs and other alcoholic items that might promote the rapid over-consumption of alcohol are not allowed on the campus or at any event.

-Tailgaters are allowed to use only charcoal grills. You can only have a propane gas cylinder that is no larger than 20 pounds.

Again, we know that everyone is excited for this year’s festivities to kick off and we recognize that tailgating for these games is one of the area’s most cherished pastimes. We’re asking all fans and athletic supporters to celebrate and tailgate responsibly to make sure that our sporting family stays safe!
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In a recent Canton drunk driving accident, a driver was injured and was also issued a summons for driving under the influence of alcohol. It wasn’t just his blood alcohol concentration (BAC) that led officers to bust the driver. It was also because he crashed his pickup truck right into a house on Washington Street. The accident happened early Saturday morning, according to Wicked Local.

Local firefighters had to extract the driver from the building and from the vehicle just after 3:00 a.m. According to the Canton Fire Department, paramedics were on site treating the unconscious man inside of the truck. Once he was freed, he was flown to Mass General Hospital. He is expected to make it. Local and state police are still investigating the accident. A crane was eventually called to the scene of the accident to remove the pickup from the wreckage of the building.

Our Canton drunk driving car accident lawyers understand the risks of being involved in a drunk driving car accident are about four times higher during the evening hours than during the daytime.

In addition to you being at higher risks during the evening, you’re also facing greater risks when traveling on the weekend. In 2010, about 31 percent of all drivers involved in a fatal accident on the weekend were under the influence of alcohol. This is in comparison to the 16 percent involved during the weekdays, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

In the state of Massachusetts, there were more than 140 killed in car accidents that involved a driver who was under the influence of alcohol in 2010.

These kinds of accidents don’t have to happen. They are completely preventable. Still, we continue to lose the lives of thousands every year because of these thoughtless acts. Drivers are asked to be safe and responsible out there and to completely avoid driving if you’ve had anything to drink.

There’s a father in Ludlow who is trying to bring these accident risks down. He’s sending a strong message to drivers. He’s displaying a vehicle that his son was in when he was involved in a drunk driving car accident. According to WWLP, the man’s son was drunk when he slammed head on into a car that was also being driven by another drunk driver.

His son looks like he’s going to be okay, but he says that this was an experience that he wishes upon no parent.

“If I can save some kids life this weekend that’s what this is about,” said the Ludlow father.

During this time of the year, drunk driving car accidents are common. Kids are back in school and they’re using their weekends to get out and party. Make sure your kid’s weekend plans don not involve drinking and driving. And the best way to help ensure that is to set a good example.
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Massachusetts State Police arrested nearly 25 people and issued hundreds of traffic citations over the Labor Day holiday weekend enforcement effort on Interstate 195 and Route 25.

This particular enforcement effort took place in New Bedford and Fall River, according The Boston Globe. This was the sixth week of this enforcement effort. In addition to the arrests, there were also more than 260 traffic citations issued and six criminal summonses.

Our Fall River accident attorneys understand that drivers just don’t seem to be getting the message and continue to put themselves at risk for not only an arrest, but also for a potentially fatal car accident. During the fifth week of the enforcement effort, another 10 drivers were arrested for being drunk behind the wheel. State police also made eight non-OUI arrests. They were also able to issue about a dozen criminal summonses and hand out close to 300 traffic offenses.

In addition to this crackdown on these drivers, officials with the State Police Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Section pulled over 8 tractor-trailers and cited 3 of them for speeding. On these tractors, officers were able to hand out 11 safety violations, according to Wicked Local.

As of last week’s run of this enforcement effort, officers have been able to make nearly 50 OUI arrests, more than 40 additional arrests, issue more than 35 criminal summonses and have been able to write close to 1,500 citations for various motor vehicle violations.

The patrol effort will continue one through the end of September.

Drivers are asked to be cautious on our roadways, especially at night. As a matter of fact, alcohol impairment among drivers who are involved in fatal accidents is about four times higher at night than during the day. It is estimated that more than 30 percent of the drivers who are involved in fatal accidents that happen on weekends were under the influence of alcohol. It’s a problem that drivers of all kinds are facing, too! In 2009, close to 45 percent of motorcycle riders who were killed in traffic accidents reported a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 or higher.

These kinds of accidents cost the country close to $40 billion ever year. According to the most recent crash statistics, more than 10,000 people were killed in these accidents in 2010. That means that someone was killed in a drunk driving car accident every 51 minutes in the U.S.

As we round out the remainder of 2012, the risks and the number of these kinds of accidents are only expected to increase. Drivers are asked to be safe and responsible. Never should you get behind the wheel after consuming any amount of alcohol. There are safe and sober ways that we can all get home. We can take a cab, call a friend, get a hold of a family member, take public transportation or even stay at a safe location such as a hotel. Just stay away from the driver’s seat!
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The Executive Director of Impact DWI, Inc., Richard Roth, PhD, spends his time working to reduce drunk driving risks and working to raise awareness in the community about the dangers that accompany this dangerous habit.

Recently, he took a look at the use and effectiveness of ignition interlock devices (IID). He looked at information regarding these programs in 13 different states to determine just how effective they were, according to Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD).

Our Boston drunk driving accident lawyers understand that drivers in the state of Massachusetts can be subjected to one of these devices upon their second or subsequent drunk driving conviction.

The state’s Registry of Motor Vehicles requires as a condition for reinstatement of the person’s driver’s license and/or hardship license that an Ignition Interlock Device be used by the driver for a minimum of two years if you qualify for your hardship driver’s license. If you don’t qualify for a hardship license, you’re required to use the IID for two years after your license is reinstated. With this device on your vehicle, a driver cannot start a car if it reads a blood alcohol level of .02 percent or higher. When you’re sentenced to one of these devices, you’ve got to dish out the cash to pay for it. These fees can run up to $500 for installation and a monthly fee of close to $100. That’s not all either. Users are also required to grant the IID vendor with access to the data it collects and give it to the Registry of Motor Vehicles.

These devices require you take a breath test before you’re able to start your car. If you pass, your car will start. These devices also require a rolling re-test after the vehicle has been started. This is to help to ensure that you don’t dupe the system. These devices are designed to help to make sure that those who have already been convicted of a drunk driving charge don’t get behind the wheel and do it all over again. This is also to help to reduce the risks of drunk driving car accidents.

Highlights of Roth’s Report:

-There are close to 300,000 ignition interlocks currently being used in the United States.

-The number of ignition interlock device installations has dropped by nearly 15 percent since 2011.

-About a fourth of those who are arrested for drunk driving are installing interlocks.

-Currently, there are about 9 ignition interlocks per 100,000 residents in the country.

-There are 10 states that have over 9,000 installed IIDs.

-There are nearly 30 states that have fewer than 4,000 installed IIDs.

-The five states with the most IIDs are Arizona, Colorado, California, Washington and Texas.

The state of Massachusetts also has an additional measure to help to keep these drivers off of our roadways. Our law provides a driver’s license suspension for 10 years to life to drivers who have failed to obey the requirements of the state’s IID laws.
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There’s another round of federal grants that’s helping to get more officers on the road and targeting dangerous drivers. The new extra patrols will be used for one thing — busting drunk drivers.

This increase in patrols is part of the “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” initiative. Our Boston drunk driving car accident lawyers discussed this national campaign in a recent blog posting. It’s organized by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) as well as the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security, according to The Milford Daily News.

Our Milford drunk driving car accident lawyers understand that most of these patrols will be out on our streets during the evening hours. That’s when these kinds of accidents are most likely to happen. Officers will also be increasing patrols during the weekends, when risks for these incidents are also much higher.

“We want to get the biggest bang for the buck,” said Marlborough Capt. Timothy Naze .

Areas receiving federal grants to bust drunk drivers:

-$8,000 grant: Franklin
-$3,300 each in grants: Westborough, Shrewsbury, Marlborough and Franklin.

-$800 each in grants: Wayland, Uxbridge, Upton, Southborough, Mendon, Hopkinton and Holliston.

There are 12 local cities and towns are among the near 130 Massachusetts departments that are participating in the program. During this time, officers will be on the lookout for drivers who they believe are intoxicated behind the wheel. They’ll also be ready to take your call to report a driver who you feel is intoxicated behind the wheel.

“Any additional funds to law enforcement in this budgetary environment are valuable,” said Police Chief Richard Flannery with the Hopkinton department.

In 2010, there were more than 14,000 drivers in the state of Massachusetts who were charged with drunk driving. Alcohol played a roll in the traffic fatalities of nearly 120 people during that year. The summer season and holiday weekend are the most dangerous.

Someone was killed in an alcohol-related car accident in 2010 every 51 minutes. These kinds of traffic accidents accounted for about a third of all accident fatalities. What’s most alarming about these crashes is that they’re completely preventable, yet intoxicated drivers continue to get behind the wheel and put the safety of innocent people in jeopardy.

Drivers are asked to make sober plans to get home during the remainder of the summer season and through the Labor Day weekend. You can designate a sober driver for your night, you can take the T, you can call a cab or you can get in touch with a friend or a family member to come pick you up. Never should there be a time when you get behind the wheel after consuming alcohol. If you need to rent a hotel room or stay at a friend’s house you should. All of these alternatives are much less expensive than a drunk driving arrest or a trip to the hospital. You should do this not only to avoid a costly arrest, but to also avoid a potentially fatal accident. Safe and responsible driving habits are your best bet to staying alive and out of jail.
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