Boston Drunk Driving Accident Lawyer Blog
You may remember the case of Ethan Couch, who was arrested in June 2013 after he was driving on restricted license in an illegal manner, when he lost control of his vehicle and crashed into a group of people who were standing near an SUV that had broken down. He also crashed into a vehicle that had come to the scene to assist the disabled SUV. Continue reading
Massachusetts Drunk Driving Accident Leaves Children with Permanent Injuries
Drunk driving car accidents result in serious personal injury or even death on a regular basis. Any accident involving child victims are particularly devastating. According to a recent report from Mass Live, a 59-year-old man in Hampden County has just been convicted for being involved in a drunk driving accident in which he hit three children, causing serious personal injury, some of which is considered to be permanent injury.
The defendant decided not to have trial before a jury and instead had a bench trial. In the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, a defendant is entitled to a jury as long as the potential penalties include at least one day in prison. In most cases, we would expect a defendant to always choose a trail before a jury when possible, however in some cases, where the alleged offenses involve emotionally charged issues such as child victims, it might be reasonable to choose a bench trial where a judge makes all legal rulings and also renders a verdict as to guilt or innocence. Continue reading
Massachusetts Man Charged after Fatal Drunk Driving Accident
According to a recent news article from The Boston Globe, a 33-year-old suspect from Norwood, Massachusetts has been charged with various criminal offenses after he was involved in serious drunk driving accident in which one of his passengers was killed and the other suffered severe personal injuries.
Authorities are still conducting their investigation into the cause of this deadly drunk driving accident, but they have formed the opinion that defendant ran a stop sign as he was driving west while another car was headed through the intersection from a cross street, and the two vehicles crashed into each other. Continue reading
School Bus Driver Arrested for DUI
According to a recent news article from People, a school bus driver in California was recently arrested on suspicion of drunk driving with 28 students on her bus. Authorities alleged the 24-year-old female driver was clearly and obviously intoxicated at the time of her arrest.
Witnesses say the bus driver was taking children home after school on Friday afternoon when her bus managed to get stuck on a small dirt road in a manner that was blocking all traffic. When authorities arrived to see what the trouble with the bus was, they say they immediately detected a strong odor of alcohol on her breath. Continue reading
Drugged Driving Suit Shows Boston Drivers The Real Risks of Getting Behind the Wheel Impaired
Drivers have become aware of dangers associated with drunk driving thanks to decades of education and advocacy by groups like Mothers Against Drunk Driving. Unfortunately, while the DUI death rate due to impaired drivers has gone down, the number of people who drive under the influence of drugs is rising. Driving while drugged is often just as dangerous (or more dangerous) and just as illegal as driving while under the influence of alcohol. Unfortunately, motorists underestimate the risks and aren’t aware of how impairing it can be to operate a motor vehicle after consuming prescription or non-prescription medications.
As medical marijuana legalization moves through more states in the U.S. and as baby boomers age and prescription drug use becomes ever-more common, lawmakers are grappling with how to establish and enforce DUI laws for narcotics use. However, motorists need to make a commitment now to staying sober and not getting behind the wheel when they’ve either drank too much or consumed drugs that cause impairment. To help encourage motorists to understand risks of impaired driving and to make the necessary commitment to staying sober, Ford has created a drugged driving suit.
Boston Suburb Gets Grant to Increase Drunk Driving Patrols
The time between Thanksgiving and New Year’s is historically the most dangerous period of the year in terms of serious drunk driving accidents and drunk driving fatalities. According to a recent news report from the Concord Patch, the town of Concord, Massachusetts has recently received a grant to increase drunk driving patrols this holiday season.
Specifically, this campaign is called “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” and the Concord Police Department will be part of an effort with 201 other law enforcement agencies trying to significantly reduce the number of drunk driving accidents this holiday season. Continue reading
The Reason Boston MBTA Provides Free Rides on New Year’s Eve
Since 1983, New Year’s Eve party goers in Boston have been able to get a free ride home on the T. This is part of long standing effort to reduce drunk driving incidents and help make sure everyone makes it home safe and sound.
However, this program was not always around. The free rides on New Year’s Eve program was started after a series of deadly drunk driving accidents that all occurred around the same time, according to a recent news feature from Boston.com. This was during the time when Michael Dukakis was governor, and he was especially sensitive to the issue of drunk driving. Dukakis’ brother was ridding a bicycle in Brookline neighborhood of Boston in 1973 when he was hit by a drunk driver. Continue reading
Preventing DUI Crashes as the Football Season Ends
The football season is a high-risk time on the roads because motorists tend to get drunk while watching games. Binge drinking and impaired driving are common pastimes for many football fans, despite the dangers these behaviors present when a motorist gets behind the wheel. 
With playoff time and the Super Bowl fast approaching, the risks of drunk driving will continue to rise on big game days. The dangers associated with drunk driving, however, are largely preventable: motorists should avoid drinking during games or should make sure they have a designated driver lined up before they actually start consuming alcoholic beverages. Unfortunately, too many drivers fail to follow these simple precautions and instead they cause accidents that injure themselves or others on the roads.
Boston Drivers Must Be Aware of Added Holiday DUI Risks
Over the holiday season, there is a significantly increased risk motorists will become involved in a car crash. This increased danger comes not only from the fact there are more people traveling and going hundreds of miles from home, but also because there are many more motorists who end up drunk behind the wheel.
Drivers need to know the holiday season is a high-risk time for DUI. Making a commitment to stay sober yourself ensures you do not become a part of the problem and helps you to avoid injuring yourself or others.
Unfortunately, motorists may be unable to do anything to protect themselves if someone else on the road is drunk and makes a dangerous choice leading to a crash. While it can be hard to keep yourself safe if an impaired driver is around, however, there are a few things you can do to try to avoid a holiday DUI accident.
A National Day of Remembrance for Drunk Drivers
Mother Against Drunk Driving (MADD) has been doing what they do to fight against the epidemic of drunk driving accidents, including fatal accidents in the United States, for decades. This is actually the 35th year MADD’s anti-drunk driving campaign has been in existence, and, while the organization has done a lot of great work and had a tremendous positive impact, there is still a lot of work to be done. For example, according to MADD’s general statistical data, more than 10,000 people were killed in drunk driving accidents, and nearly 300,000 more were injured in drunk driving accidents in 2013 alone.
These are numbers that seem like they should be impossible but unfortunately are very much a reality. In terms of the economic impact, drunk driving incidents cost the American public over $130 billion each year in damages. To help get the message out, MADD has declared that a National Day of Remembrance shall be observed on the third day of December each year. The organization wants it do be known that a place setting at the table may be empty following a drunk driving accident, but the victim will always be in the hearts of his or her friends and family members, and this is a day to remember that. Continue reading