Boston Drunk Driving Accident Lawyer Blog
A man from Easton recently entered a plea of “not guilty” to the Taunton District Court after officers arrested him for his 8th drunk driving charge. According to The Boston Globe, the 46-year-old man was arraigned on charges of carrying an open container of alcohol, driving with a revoked driver’s license and operating under the influence of alcohol.
An officer encountered the driver on the side of Winthrop Street while he was sitting in his parked car just before 2:00 a.m. When the officer asked why he was parked there, the driver held up a closed flip phone and explained he was trying to text message. Officers noticed that the man had a plastic cup, of what appeared to be alcohol, in his hand. They asked to search the vehicle and wound up finding and open bottle of brandy.
Our drunk driving accident attorneys understand just how serious this problem is here in Massachusetts. But it’s not just a problem here in Massachusetts, it’s elsewhere throughout the U.S. Last year, there were more than 10,300 people killed in drunk driving accidents. In Massachusetts, we saw close to 150 people die, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Several policies and practices have been implemented across jurisdictions to address drunken driving, including increasing the minimum drinking age and lowering illegal thresholds for blood alcohol concentration (BAC). But how effective are they?
Unfortunately, most states let off their convicted drivers with lenient sentences. Following a criminal conviction, at least 22 states have diversion programs that allow convicted drinking drivers to ultimately escape criminal sanctions by entering alcohol education, alcohol treatment, or other programs that permit judgment or prosecution to be deferred.
The likelihood of a repeat driving under the influence arrest increases with the number of prior DUI arrests. For each person who is arrested for their first drunk driving charge, almost one in every five will be rearrested for a subsequent drunk driving charge.
According to Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), drunk driving accident fatalities account for close to 40 percent of all traffic fatalities in the state. Although a more than 2 percent decrease from the year before, we’re still losing far too many lives from this completely preventable crime.
Taxpayer subsidy of drunk driving fatalities cost the state more than $860 million.
Drunk Driving Consequences:
1st Offense:
-180 day license suspension.
-Jail up to 30 months.
-Up to $5,000 in fines.
2nd Offense:
-Two-year license suspension.
-Jail up to 30 months, with a minimum of 30 days.
-Up to $10,000 in fines.
3rd Offense:
-Eight-year license suspension.
-Jail up to 5 years, with a minimum of 150 days.
-Up to $15,000 in fines.
Not only do you run the risks of some serious consequences if you’re busted while drinking and driving, but you could also wind up killing an innocent traveler, or even yourself. Don’t risk it and stay sober behind the wheel. There are plenty of safe and alternative ways to get home if you need.
If you or a loved one was involved in a drunk driving accident in Massachusetts, call Jeffrey Glassman Injury Lawyers for a free and confidential appointment — (617) 777-7777.
More Blog Entries:
Weekend DUI Down, Drunk Driving Fatalities Up, Boston Drunk Driving Accident Lawyer Blog, January 15, 2014
Drunk Driver Impersonates Owl to Escape Officers, Boston Drunk Driving Accident Lawyer Blog, January 10, 2014