Boston Drunk Driving Accident Lawyer Blog

It’s one of the most joyous times of the year, but for many families it’s one of the most depressing, as it reminds them of one of the thousands of drunk-driving tragedies that have occurred during the holidays. With New Year’s quickly approaching, safe driving practices are on the minds’ of law enforcement officers across the state. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety administration (NHTSA), nearly 11,000 people die on the road each year due to drunken driving.

“Too often there’s an incorrect assumption that the drunk driving problem is solved. That couldn’t be further from the truth, as we continue to lose our friends and neighbors due to drivers drinking too much and getting behind the wheel,” said Governors Highway Safety Administration (GHSA) Chairman Kendell Poole.

Our Boston injury lawyers note in December 2010, more than 2,500 people lost their lives in car accidents, and about 30 percent of these crashes involved an alcohol-impaired driver. By that count, some 800 people will lose their lives in drunk driving accidents this month.

Too many believe that they’re okay to drive after just a few drinks, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. It’s important to remember that buzzed driving is drunk driving, and that’s why officials are asking you to take the pledge — to stay sober behind the wheel through the New Year.
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New Year’s is quickly approaching and with this holiday and the ringing in of a new year, we like to enjoy valuable time with friends and family members. These celebrations oftentimes involve alcohol, and that’s okay as long as driving isn’t thrown into the equation.

If you’re throwing a New Year’s Eve party, it’s critical to ensure that your guests are cared for properly. Liability for Massachusetts personal injuries that are caused by a person being over-served alcohol can stem from two separate types of situations — Dram Shop Liability and Social Host Liability.

Our injury lawyers in Boston understand that Social Liability Host is going to affect many Bostonians. This is in place to help to regulate personal get togethers and helps to regulate the liability of private individuals who may negligently serve alcohol to guests in their residence. When these guests are over-served and cause injury or death to third parties or even to themselves because of their intoxication, someone has to be held responsible. Another important factor in this law is serving to minors. Party hosts are also required to keep an eye on the ages of the individuals who they are serving.
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Boston law enforcement officers report that a 36-year-old woman has been charged with drunken driving after a recent car accident that left a 7-year-old girl dead in Dorchester. According to MassLive, the driver has been charged with homicide by motor vehicle while operating under the influence.

The accident happened shortly after 2:00 p.m. in Dorchester after officers received calls of two pedestrians struck by a passing motor vehicle. A 7-year-old was killed and an adult was injured.

Our Dorchester injuryt lawyers understand that intoxicated drivers are a serious and deadly threat — and too often its innocent victims who pay the price. Oftentimes, the people who are injured or killed in drunk driving accidents are occupants of other vehicles, pedestrians and bicyclists. And it’s a problem that’s only getting worse. According to Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), more than 1.2 million drivers were arrested in 2011 for driving under the influence of alcohol or narcotics. During the same year, there were close to 250 children were killed in drunk driving crashes. Of those, 122 (close to 55 percent) were riding with the drunk driver. Nationwide, a motorist is killed in a DUI crash every 48 minutes. The annual cost of alcohol-related crashes totals more than $51 billion.
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A man from Lowell who already had two DUI convictions was recently arrested for a possible third charge of driving under the influence, even though his vehicle had an ignition interlock device.

According to My FOX Boston, the 46-year-old driver was pulled over in Pelham just after 1:00 p.m. after being reported slamming into a tree at the intersection of Simpson Mill and Hobbs roads. He was reported a number of times for driving “all over the roadway.” After being stopped by officers, it was clear that he was “highly intoxicated and very unsteady on his feet,” according to authorities. He was not only in possession of a number of empty alcoholic beverages, but also in possession of marijuana. He reportedly failed a number of sobriety tests, was arrested and is now facing charges of transportation of marijuana, possession of marijuana, conduct after an accident, aggravated driving while intoxicated as well as driving while intoxicated.

Our Boston drunk driving injury lawyers understand that this particular driver after convictions on driving charges in Lowell in 1984 and once in 2009 in North Carolina. This driver was instructed by courts to install an ignition interlock device on his vehicle under Melanie’s Law. In the state of Massachusetts, the law requires drivers to have these devices is they’ve been convicted of DUI multiple times.
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In a recent Reading drunk driving accident, a 71-year-old man was killed while stopped in the breakdown lane of Route 95 North. According to CBS Boston, a 32-year-old driver from Brockton faces charges of vehicular homicide.

Accident reports indicate that it is unclear why the elderly man was stopped in the breakdown lane. But he was struck by the intoxicated driver. The female driver was reportedly on her way home from work when the accident happened, but was unable to explain why she was in the northbound lane if she was heading back to Brockton. Although she claimed only to have had one beer, she failed a number of sobriety tests, according to auhtorities. She was held on $10,000 cash bail.

In the state of Massachusetts, there were close to 115 people killed in alcohol-related traffic accidents in 2011. These accidents accounted for about 40 percent of the total number of traffic accident fatalities throughout the year. More than 15 percent of these accidents involved drivers who had a BAC of .15 of higher, which is about twice the legal limit.
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With a new casino planning to make its home in the area, residents are concerned about the potential impact on drunk driving car accidents in Milford. According to The Metro West Daily News, casinos increase the risks of these deadly accidents. Foxwoods wants to build a resort casino in Milford that would be open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, attracting approximately 7 million people each year.

In Ledyard, Connecticut, another Foxwoods casino is being blamed for a near 3 percent increase in the number of drunk driving accidents each year since the casino opened. And that city has about 10,000 fewer people than Milford. The city has a drunk driving rate more than 50 percent higher than the county, which might not be surprising consider the casino’s around-the-clock schedule.

Our Milford accident lawyers understand that casinos present greater risk for all travelers. This includes children. In Milford, there are 15 schools and close to 20 childcare centers within a 4-mile radius of the casino. Casinos have been introduced throughout the U.S. to spur economic development and generate tax revenue. Yet, casinos may also be associated with a variety of social ills. One issue that has not been empirically tested in the literature is whether there is a link between casino expansion and alcohol-related fatal traffic accidents.
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Nationwide, drunk driving awareness campaigns, safety experts and legislators have urged for stricter drunk driving penalties. Now advocates are urging Massachusetts lawmakers to pass a bill that would expand the requirement for ignition interlock devices to include both repeat offenders as well as first time drunk drivers. Advocates for the expansion of Melanie’s Law purpose that the new requirement would prevent certain drivers from putting other motorists and passengers at risk. Ultimately, expanding the law could prevent accidents and save lives.

Drunk driving accidents continue to pose a threat to other drivers, pedestrians, cyclists and passengers. Our Massachusetts drunk driving accident attorneys are experienced with the widespread impact of drunk driving cases. We are also dedicated to staying abreast of current developments in anti-drunk driving campaigns and legislation that aims to reduce the number of drunk driving accidents on the roads.

One of the primary advocates for the law was a man whose granddaughter was killed by a drunk driver. Advocates are seeking expansion of a 2006 law, known as “Melanie’s Law” which was named after the victim, Melanie Powell. Melanie’s grandfather testified that Massachusetts needs to take additional and aggressive steps to prevent future drunk driving fatalities. The proposal to require first time offenders to use an ignition interlock device was one of several issues involving highway safety.
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One of the tragedies of drunk-driving accidents is that victims are often innocent bystanders, pedestrians, motorists and passengers. In a recent Massachusetts drunk driving collision, four children were injured and hospitalized, another tragic illustration of the dangers of drinking and driving. While the children survived the accident, the collision serves as a reminder of the almost common-place nature of drinking and driving and the pervasive and deadly threat of drunk drivers.

Drunk drivers should be held accountable for their actions. Our Massachusetts drinking and driving accident attorneys are experienced in the complex investigation of drunk driving collisions. We are committed to holding drunk drivers liable and in protecting the rights of innocent victims and their families. Our legal team is aware of the widespread abuse of drinking and driving and is dedicated to raising awareness to prevent future accidents.

According to reports, there were four children in a vehicle when it rolled over on Interstate 291 in a drunk driving accident. The authorities were immediately notified and responded to the chaotic scene of the accident in the westbound lanes near exit 3 around 11:45 p.m. The Massachusetts State Troopers reported that the children were riding in a vehicle when it collected with another car and it flipped.
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Drunk driving accidents are devastating for victims, especially when they result in serious injury or even death. Intoxicated drivers who take someone’s life when they are driving drunk are subject to both criminal sanctions and civil liability in order to punish them for what they have done and to try to compensate devastated family members for a loss that can never be erased. Now, however, Business Insider reports that some drunk drivers are trying to escape murder convictions by arguing that they were “too drunk” to be guilty of murder.

Our Boston drunk driving accident lawyers know that the risks of drunk driving are widely publicized and that every single driver on the road should be aware of the laws prohibiting drunk driving. With motorists knowing how dangerous drunk driving is, it is difficult to make the argument that an intoxicated driver should be able to avoid a murder conviction by using the excuse that he was too drunk to commit the crime.
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