Articles Posted in Drunk Driving in Massachusetts

According to Massachusetts State Police (MSP), there were close to 10 drunk drivers arrested, just over the weekend. And this was just the first weekend of the “Surge” enforcement. Officers say that this was the result of the additional 11 police officers that have been placed along Routes 195 and Routes 24 from 10:00 p.m. to 4:00 a.m. during the lively weekend hours.

In addition, there were seven additional arrests and more than 220 Motor Vehicle Citations issued. Officials hope that these efforts help to reduce the risks of traffic accidents in Massachusetts.

According to the Easton Patch, officers planned the increase in enforcement after an alarming number of fatal crashes in those areas. One of the accidents involved a 19-year-old driver who drove the wrong way down Route 24 at about 4:00 a.m.

Officers say that their efforts weren’t enough though, as there was still a fatal accident that occurred over the weekend in Randolph on Route 24. The accident was just outside of the “surge zone” though.

According to a statement from the MSP, the “surge” is being used to bust “impaired, distracted, and aggressive drivers.”

This enforcement will continue on through September and will be working to assist the current patrols of the Dartmouth and Middleborough Barracks.

In the state of Massachusetts, there were nearly 12,000 people arrested for drunk driving in 2007. There were also more than 140 fatal accidents in which at least one driver was legally drunk, or had a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 or higher. In these accidents, nearly 200 people were killed. There was also an additional 40 people killed in car accidents in which a driver had a BAC between .01 and .07, meaning they were under the influence of alcohol but not legally drunk. This really emphasizes the effects that alcohol has on our driving abilities. Every little bit of alcohol consumed affects our perception and our safety.

All in all, there were nearly 200 people killed because of alcohol-related car accidents in the state of Massachusetts in 2009.

During this time of the year, when young drivers are out of school and residents are venturing out on vacation, our risks for car accidents increase significantly. Drivers are to remember that there is no safe level of alcohol consumption when you’re driving. Even the smallest amount of alcohol negatively affects your ability to drive. If your plans involve consuming alcohol, it’s important for you to make sure that you have a sober way to get home. You should also designate a driver who drinks nothing. If you’re left without one of those, call a friend or a family member to come get you. Still don’t have a ride? Consider taking public transportation. You can take the bus, a cab, the subway or a train. Whatever you do, don’t get behind the wheel.
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You’ve got to be 21-years-old to legally consume alcohol. It wasn’t always that way and some are trying to get the age lowered back down to 18-years-old. The 21 Law, is now celebrating its 28th anniversary. Officials say that more than 25,000 lives have been spared since the passing of it.

Some say that if you’re able to go to war, then you should be able to drink a cold one. Others say that we should follow in the footsteps of the Europeans and lower it to 18 because they have fewer alcohol-related problems. Both of these sentiments do nothing to help to reduce the risks of drunk driving car accidents in Boston or elsewhere.

The age limit is 21 because a number of studies have proven that ages younger than that have a tough time handling alcohol. It’s been proven that younger drinkers have a tough time knowing when to quit and are more likely to binge drink than adults, according to Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD). Enforcing the legal drinking age of 21-years-old helps to reduce the risks of car accidents, helps to protect the growing minds of our younger population and helps to keep our roads safer for everyone.

Car accidents continue to be the leading cause of death for teens in the United States. About a third of the drivers who are killed in car accidents were under the influence at the time of the accident. These kinds of accidents can be prevented with just a little bit of education and awareness and parents are some of the most effective people to do just that!

To help to push this even more, officials with MADD are asking for your help. Talk with your young driver about the risks of drinking and driving. You can check out the organization’s “Power of Parents” campaign page to get some helpful ideas and tips on how to do so effectively.

Officials with MADD are also working to help to protect the rights of accident victims, too. MADD is asking residents to call or email your United States Representative and ask them to co-sponsor the House Joint Resolution 106 (H. J. Res. 106).

With this amendment, victims would stay more in tune with proceedings. Victims would be notified about preceding details, would be allowed to be present and these proceedings and would be heard on important decisions. As of now, each state has statutory laws in place and also has constitutional amendments to protect the rights of victims. Unfortunately, these laws are ineffective.

In states that offer “strong protection” to victims, less than 60 percent of them are ever notified about a sentencing and less than 40 percent are ever told about the pretrial release of a defendant.

Contact your state rep today to help to get this changed, under House Joint Resolution 106.
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As we recently reported on our Boston Drunk Driving Accident Lawyer Blog, the Governor of Massachusetts, Deval Patrick, is seeking to close a loophole in the state’s drunk driving law.

The loophole used to allow repeat drunk driving offenders to refuse a breathalyzer during a traffic stop as a way to get a lesser sentence when charged in court. With no more loopholes, many are cheering on state lawmakers. The measure also has the support of Diageo, the world’s top spirits, wine and beer company.

Liquor companies, bars and restaurants often support drunk-driving measures because of the associated liability that can occur in the event of an accident. It’s much the same reason cell phone companies have long-since quit calling their products “car phones,” and have come out in support of a number of distracted driving measures. In some cases, a bar or restaurant may even be held responsible for serving an intoxicated person who later causes an accident. Such cases are typically brought through Dram Shop litigation.

Our Boston drunk driving accident attorneys understand the impact of these kinds of accidents. Not only do they continue to take the lives of more than 10,000 people every year, but they’re also costing the country billions of dollars.

The biggest tragedy is that these kinds of accidents are completely preventable. All we do is ask residents to practice a little bit of responsibility when heading out. There are a multitude of options when it comes to avoiding driving when consuming alcohol. Still, almost 40 percent of all fatal accidents involve alcohol in one form or another, according to the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT).

Representatives with Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) report that Americans take nearly 250 billion trips in cars each and every year. It’s estimated that one out of every 2,000 trips are taken by a driver who is under the influence of alcohol, but more than a third of traffic fatalities involve a drunk driver. With that being said, a proportionally tiny amount of bad behavior is one of the top causes of death and injury on our roadways.

As a matter of fact, someone is killed in a drunk driving accident every 52 minutes on average.

About a third of all of the problems that arise from drunk driving is caused by repeat offenders, too. These problems include injuries, deaths, arrests and accidents. Currently, there are about 2 million people across the nation who have three or more drunk driving charges on their record. Still, nearly 75 percent of them who have had their license suspended or revoked still continue to drive.

Our drunk driving laws may be a little stronger now, with the closure of a state loophole, but that doesn’t mean we want authorities to rest easy. During the summer travel season, when there are more motorists out there on our roadways, we’re asking you to keep safety as a number one priority. One of the most beneficial safety tips we can provide you is to avoid drinking and driving!

It’s such a simple step that can save lives!
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According to local police officers, a woman who is now facing charges of drunk driving in Whitinsville says that the GPS made her do it.

Allegedly, the woman says that the GPS told her to make a left, so she did. Unfortunately, the left that she took led her through a cornfield and then straight onto a golf course. Her car got stuck in one of the sand traps on the Whitinsville Golf Club.

According to WCVB, police aren’t buying the story and have accused her of drunk driving. Officers reportedly found the woman’s vehicle on the golf course in the sand trap. They say that her eyes were blood shot, she was slurring her words and smelled of alcohol. They also say that she had a plastic cup inside of her car that was carrying an alcoholic beverage. After interrogating the driver, she reportedly admitted that she had previously consumed about a half a liter of vodka.

Our Whitinsville drunk driving accident lawyers understand that the intoxicated driver is now facing charges of driving with an open container, negligent driving, drunken driving and driving on a suspended license. She’s really lucky that she didn’t injure anyone in this wreck.

Currently, the driver has two pending charges, one for drug possession and another for resisting arrest. Both of these were from a previous incident. This new drunk driving charge count is the woman’s fourth drunk driving charge. She is currently being held on $10,000 bail after pleading not guilty.

In the state of Massachusetts, there are nearly 22,500 people who currently have three drunk driving charges on their record, according to Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD). To make matters even worse, there are another 5,000 who have been convicted five times of drunk driving in the state. In 2011, there were nearly 120 people who were killed in drunk driving car accidents throughout the state. These fatalities accounted for nearly 40 percent of the entire number of accident deaths for the year.

Nationwide, there were more than 1.41 million drivers who were arrested in 2010 for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

The truth of the matter is that these accidents are completely preventable. No one is ever forced to get behind the wheel after consuming alcohol. It’s usually a lack of planning and a complete disregard for safety. Before you go out this summer, make sure you’ve got a sober ride home to help make sure your stay out of the hospital and out of jail!
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Recently, the Governor of Massachusetts Deval Patrick signed new legislation into law that closed a previous loophole. The old loophole used to let repeat drunk driving offenders chose to refuse a breathalyzer to get lesser sentences when they were charged in court.

According to the Boston Globe, the measure was signed by Governor Patrick as a part of the legislature’s budget proposal for the new fiscal year. We recently told you about this loophole on our Boston Drunk Driving Accident Lawyer Blog as the State Attorney General, Martha Coakley, said that she and other state lawmakers were working diligently to close the loophole to help ensure that repeat drunk drivers are taken off the roads.

Our Boston drunk driving car accident attorneys understand that the new law still allows drivers to refuse a breathalyzer test, but now it’s treated as a conviction if anyone receives a ruling of “continuance without a finding” in court. Before this change, the law allowed drivers to refuse a breath test to avoid having the test counted against them in future decisions on license revocation. With these lesser sentences, convicted drivers were back on our roadways in less time and were increasing the risks for potentially fatal accidents for everyone.

In 2010, there were nearly 10,250 people who died in car accidents across the United States that involved a drunk driver. These kinds of accidents accounted for more than 30 percent of all fatal accidents.

Currently, there are about 2 million people who have three or more drunk driving convictions. About 400,000 have five or more of these convictions. It’s these kinds of weak sentences that allow these drivers to continue to endanger the public. When a state has tough drunk driving laws, recidivism is less likely and roadways are safer. Statistics illustrate that about a third of all drivers who are arrested for drunk driving each year are in fact repeat offenders. According to Mothers Against Drunk Driving, first offender patterns of recidivism closely parallel those of repeat offenders.

License suspension for refusing to take a breathalyzer test in Massachusetts:

-A 180 day license suspension for a 1st offense.

-A 3 year license suspension for a 2nd offense.

-A 5 year license suspension for a 3rd offense.

Minimum jail time for refusing to take a breathalyzer test in Massachusetts:

-No minimum for a first time offense.

-30 days for a second offense.

-150 days for a third offense.

If you are under the age of 21-years-old, the maximum blood alcohol concentration (BAC) allowed is .02 percent. If you’re 21-years-old or older, the maximum BAC is .08 percent. If you’re driving a commercial vehicle, you’re allowed a maximum of .04 percent.
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A drunk driving car accident in Watertown left a local man running shirtless.

According to local police, the accident happened just after 1:00 a.m. Officers from Cambridge notified the Watertown Police and told them that they saw a man who was openly peeing outside of his car while it was parked on the side of the road. After emptying his bladder, the driver hopped back into his vehicle, sped off and drove over a sidewalk.

The accident happened near the intersection of Mt. Auburn Street and Arlington Street, according to the Watertown Patch. When officers arrived at the scene of the accident, they only found the man’s BWM with the airbags deployed. A Cambridge officer who was off-duty at the time says that he saw him leaving his vehicle and the scene of the accident. Other witnesses say that they spotted the man running through a nearby neighborhood, running across lawns and driveways with no shoes or shirt on.

Police officers were able to locate the hit-and-run driver just a few blocks from the accident. They nabbed him on Brimmer Street and threw him in cuffs. He was arrested on charges of leaving the scene of property damage, reckless driving so as to endanger and driving under the influence of alcohol.

Our Watertown car accident lawyers understand that drunk driving car accidents, both resulting in personal injury and in property damage, are completely preventable. There is never a circumstance in which a driver should choose to drive after consuming alcohol. This is especially true considering there are so many other safe and sober ways to get home. The state of Massachusetts offers residents and visitors with a plethora of public transportation options and these options should be taken advantage of when heading out for the night. There are buses, trains, subways and taxis to get you home safely.

In 2010, there were over 10,000 people who were killed in drunk driving accidents in the U.S. That means that someone died in one of these kinds of accidents every 51 minutes. The state of Massachusetts saw more than 140 people die in car accidents that involved a driver who was under the influence. These kinds of accidents accounted for nearly half of all fatal crashes in the state over the year. We had some of the highest rates of alcohol-involved accidents. Only the states of Texas and South Carolina had a higher percentage of impaired drivers in their total number of accidents logged during the year.

Drivers are asked to be safe and sober behind the wheel. Please get yourself a sober ride home. Don’t feel like using public transportation? That’s okay. You can still call a friend or a family member and have one of them come pick you up. If you don’t feel like going home that’s okay too. Stay over at a friend or family member’s house. You can even get a hotel room. Whatever you do, you should never get behind the wheel after consuming alcohol regardless of how “little” you think you’ve had.
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Now, all drivers in France will be required to have two breathalyzers in their vehicle.

The requirement started on the 1st of July, but officials aren’t going to be strict about it until November 1st, allowing for a grace period, according to Motorway America.

Through the new law, drivers will have a high-visibility safety vest, a warning triangle and two breathalyzer test kits. Anyone who doesn’t will face a fine. If you’re a tourist, you’re not off the hook. All rental vehicles must have this equipment, too.

Officials have been debating about in-car breathalyzers and ignition interlock devices for quite some time now. The truth of it all is that these devices help to reduce the risks of car accidents in Boston and elsewhere. Now, in the U.S. only drivers in specific states are required to have an ignition interlock device installed in their car after a drunk driving conviction. In some areas, only second-time offenders have to have the device installed.

Our Boston drunk driving car accident attorneys understand that in the state, and under Melanie’s Law, ignition interlock devices are to be used by drivers who have been convicted of a second charge of Operating Under the Influence (OUI) and are now eligible for a hardship license. These drivers are also required to have a hardship license for two years after their driver’s license has been reinstated.

Safety advocates urge all states to make these devices mandatory for all drivers with an OUI conviction. In a number of studies, these devices help to keep drivers from committing these offenses again.

Still, more than 30 people are killed in drunk driving accidents every day across the country. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there was one of these fatalities every 48 minutes in 2009. These accidents cost the country more than $50 billion during the year.

The Drunk Driving Problem, 2009:

-There were more than 10,800 people killed in alcohol-related car accidents.

-These accidents accounted for about a third of all traffic-related fatalities.

-There were more than 180 children under the age of 15 who were killed in these accidents.

-Of the approximate 180 children who were killed in these accidents, more than 90 were riding in the vehicle with the impaired driver.

-There were nearly 1.5 million drivers who were arrested from driving under the influence of alcohol or other drugs.

-Nearly 20 percent of motor vehicle deaths involve a driver who is impaired by drugs other than alcohol. Drugs are oftentimes used alongside alcohol.

These kinds of car accidents are completely preventable. They can be stopped with responsible driving habits and they can be prevented with stricter penalties for those who have been convicted of these offenses. Practice safe driving habits out there and be on the lookout for intoxicated drivers.
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