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There is no question that drinking to the point of intoxication and driving is dangerous.  It is also illegal.  There are a variety of reasons why it is dangerous to drive while drunk. On the one hand, it can affect your ability to physically operate a motor vehicle safely.  Those who are drunk have impaired motor functions, for one.  This means it is physically difficult to operate the controls in a coordinated manner.

Boston Car Accident In addition to loss of gross and fine motor skills, drinking to point of intoxication can cause blurred vision, making it difficult to see clearly and accurately judge distance. This also makes it dangerous to operate a car.  In terms of mental acuity, when a person is intoxicated, they will have difficulty processing information quickly and reacting to ever-changing stimuli we all face when driving a car in traffic.

One might wonder what someone must be thinking to take the risk and drive drunk. For one man recently arrested for DUI while dressed as the Tin Man from “Wizard of Oz,” it may have been, “If I only had a brain.”

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In single-vehicle DUI accidents, passengers’ only recourse may be to file claims for damages with the insurance company of the driver. If claims are denied, they may need to sue the driver. Some are loathe to do this because the driver is a friend or family member. The truth of the matter is such claims are not personal. While the named defendant is a loved one, you’re ultimately seeking payment from the insurer.

In one recent single-vehicle drunk driving accident, a woman had crashed into a cluster of trees. According to a recent news article from the Newton Patch, Taunton Police soon learned the circumstances involved in this particular drunk driving car accident were far from ordinary.

Boston Drunk Driving Accident Lawyer Authorities say they arrived on the scene and found a woman leaning against a wrecked 1999 Mercedes C Class. The car was allegedly on the lawn of a home and in between a small stand of trees.  There was a man sitting in the driver’s seat attempting to restart the crashed car.  He was not the driver at the time of the crash, according to police. Continue reading

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An increasing number of DUI accidents with injuries involve drivers who were under the influence of drugs. Specifically, narcotics and prescription drugs have proven problematic.

According to a recent news report from CNN, golfer Tiger Woods was arrested at 3 a.m. on suspicion of drunk driving.  Police in Jupiter, Florida say they found Woods’ vehicle on the side of the road.  The engine of his 2015 Mercedes-Benz was running, the brake lights were on, and the turn signal was allegedly still flashing. He was the only one in the vehicle, and he was wearing his seat belt.

Boston Drugged Driving Accidnet LawThe officers then attempted wake him up, and he was allegedly slurring his speech.  He then allegedly told police that he had been golfing in Los Angeles; however, he had no idea where he currently was. He was asked to take a breath test, and, when he blew into the device, it registered a 0.0, indicating he was not under the influence of alcohol. Continue reading

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There is no doubt that drunk driving and drunk driving accidents are a major problem in the U.S. Drunk driving is the leading cause of fatal traffic accidents, and there are many law enforcement agencies and non-profit organizations like Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) that are constantly looking for new ways to get their message across.  While there has clearly been some progress, there is still quite a lot of work to be done.

A recent column from the Los Angeles Daily News offers the opinion that in order to actually curb drunk driving, the focus needs to be on changing the culture. The article looks at the fact that many people do not think of drunk driving as a crime, as they do with many other crimes, even though those crimes are much less likely to result in physical harm. dui attorney Continue reading

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Drunk driving typically affects more than the person behind the wheel. In one recent case, though, the person behind the wheel was just as much a victim as anyone else.

According to a recent news article from the Greenfield Patch, a 37-year-old woman has been arrested after she was allegedly too drunk to drive, so she made her 8-year-old son drive instead.  Authorities have said the arrest occurred around 2 p.m.

Boston drunk driving accident lawyerA deputy sheriff reported seeing a car entering the on-ramp of a major local highway with a small child sitting on a woman’s lap.  This was apparently sufficient probable cause to conduct a traffic stop.  The deputy allegedly observed the young boy steering the car. Continue reading

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In Massachusetts, when a person is arrested for drunk driving, following a serious drunk driving accident, the official name of the criminal charge is operating under the influence of intoxicating liquor or drugs.  The liquor part is used to include to any beverage that includes ethanol, which is the form of alcohol that humans consume in alcoholic beverages.  There are other types of alcohol used for industrial and medical purposes like isopropanol, but that is made from wood, and while people have drunk it, and it will cause intoxication, it is very detrimental to your health.

Drunk Driving Accident As far as the drugs part of the charge goes, that can include any substance that causes intoxication, but generally means prescription drugs or illegal street drugs.  However, there have been drugged driving accidents where people are intoxicated from huffing gas or other toxic chemicals. Continue reading

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If your child wants to have a graduation party, prom party or any party at your house over the course of the summer, it is very important you understand as a parent what your responsibilities are under the law. If either you or your child knowingly provides alcohol for someone who is under the age of 21, there could be serious legal consequences. drunk driving

Unfortunately, many young people do have parties during the summer — sometimes with their parents knowledge and other times when parents are at work. If someone leaves these parties and gets into a drunk driving crash, the collision victim must know his or her rights under Massachusetts law. A Boston drunk driving lawyer can provide assistance to collision victims in pursuing a claim not only against the intoxicated driver, but also against the parents of teens who provided the alcohol consumed before the drunk driving accident.

When victims of drunk driving collisions have more potential defendants to make claims against, this maximizes the chances the crash victim can obtain full compensation for losses. Drunk driving injuries can be serious and expensive to treat. If the teen driver has limited auto insurance, the victim can pursue a claim against others who may have more coverage and more assets – as long as the teen can prove the others are liable under Massachusetts law.

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Prom season should be a very joyous time. But that joy can quickly turn to tragedy if teens or young adults drive while impaired by drugs and cause a serious or fatal accident.

Young drivers are not permitted by Massachusetts law to consume any alcohol before driving if they are under the age of 21. Yet, many young adults will drink and drive after prom night or around graduation time when celebrating with friends. dui injury

In addition to facing serious consequences under Massachusetts zero tolerance laws, including the suspension of a driver’s license for driving after drinking, teen drivers can be held accountable if they caused impaired driving accidents.

A Boston drunk driving accident lawyer can provide assistance to victims in pursuing a case to obtain compensation from drunk teen drivers if you are hurt in a car accident or if your loved one is killed in a collision. Continue reading

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The summer is a really dangerous time for driving, and some of the highest risk times on the road occur on Memorial Day Weekend, Fourth of July Weekend and Labor Day Weekend. Why are these days so dangerous? One simple reason: Impaired drivers.

People drive drunk far more often during summer holiday celebrations than they do at most other times of the year, and they put themselves and others at risk. beer-dude-1559597-300x201

Drunk drivers are breaking the law. Not only can an impaired driver face criminal charges, but a driver who is drunk can also be sued by victims of any crashes the motorist causes to occur.  Victims should consult with a Boston drunk driving accident lawyer who can help them to obtain toxicology reports, police testimony, witness testimony and other evidence necessary to prove a driver was drunk and caused an accident to happen. Continue reading

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When a person is pulled over on suspicion of drunk driving, the police have likely witnessed some type of suspect driving behavior.  In some cases, the police will arrive at the scene of a drunk driving accident and become aware of the fact that one or more of the drivers may have been driving a motor vehicle under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

beerAuthorities have various tools at their disposal to determine if there is probable cause to place a person under arrest for drunk driving.  In Massachusetts, the formal name for a drunk driving charge is operation of a motor vehicle under the influence intoxicating liquor or drugs (OUI).  Probable cause means that there is some probability that defendant is guilty of an offense for which he or she is about to be arrested and charged.  This is basically the lowest standard of proof in criminal or civil court system, but courts will, and often do, dismiss criminal cases following a motions hearing if the prosecutor cannot establish probable cause to have arrested or charged a defendant.  This applies to cases following a Boston drunk driving accident as well. Continue reading