Boston drunk driving accidents

July 18, 2018

Congressional Candidate Hit by Drunk Driver in Fatal Collision

According to recent news article from CNN, Katie Arrington was involved in a fatal drunk driving collision as she was on the campaign trail to be a South Carolina representative in the U.S. House. In this accident, the alleged drunk driver hit her head-on and died as a result of the accident. Arrington was left with serious personal injuries and spent time in the hospital.

Authorities have alleged the 69-year-old female driver was operating her motor vehicle with a blood alcohol content (BAC) of .153 grams of ethanol per hundred milliliters of blood. This is nearly two times the legal limit of 0.08. The legal limit is 0.08 not only in the jurisdiction in which this alleged fatal drunk driving accident occurred, but also across the nation, including Boston. Continue reading

March 21, 2017

Massachusetts State Labs Blow it on Breathalyzer Tests

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

Two years worth of alcohol breathalyzer tests central to tens of thousands of Massachusetts drunk driving cases are being tossed by a judge who ruled prosecutors failed to prove a state crime lab was properly testing the machines.

Concord District Court Judge Robert Brennan ruled last month that the Commonwealth’s Office of Alcohol Testing didn’t abide the proper scientifically reliable protocols for calibration of some 350 breathalyzer machines used by law enforcement officers from June 2012 to September 2014. There were also reportedly no clear, written standards for how these devices were supposed to be set up. Absent those kinds of standards, the results can’t be used in a courtroom, the judge ruled.

The public defender in charge of filing the challenge argued prosecutors were using the machines in a manner that resulted in unjust outcomes. Defense attorneys said their concern is to ensure that such tests are both fair and accurate and that those whose actions were not clearly in violation of state OUI statutes aren’t convicted wrongly. Continue reading

July 29, 2016

Does Uber Drive Down Boston Drunk Driving Injuries?

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

Ride-sharing services like Uber and Lyft have sailed in like a white horse, ready to save us all from the scourge of drunk driving injuries and deaths. At least, that’s the narrative these services are selling. Proof that it’s actually working, however, is conflicting.

Take, for example, the recent study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology suggests these serves have had little to on impact on the national overall rate of drunk driving accidents, injuries or deaths. Drunk driving fatalities have hung steadily at around 10,000 for many years, though they have dipped significantly since the 1970s and 1980s.

Uber broke out onto the scene in 2009 and has largely been popular in bigger cities, such as Boston. But unfortunately, as the study authors discovered, the rates of drunk driving in those locations hasn’t gone down. The reason, researchers say, has to do with the fact those who are impaired aren’t willing to pay for the expense of a ride. Continue reading

June 4, 2016

A Look into Whether Uber and Lyft Use Reduced Drunk Driving Accidents

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

A recent news feature from Inc. is examining the effect of Uber and other ride-sharing services like Lyft have on reducing the number the number of drunk drivers on the roads and, moreover, the total number of drunk driving motor vehicle crashes. The reason they chose now do discuss this is issue is because Memorial Day is not only the unofficial start of summer, but it is also one of the worst times of year in terms of drunk drunk driving arrests and drunk driving driving fatalities.

While the ride-sharing companies are frequently partnering with Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) chapters across the country, and are boasting that their services are causing a large reduction in the total number of drunk drivers on the road, there is apparently very little statistical data or even research to support that position. There is not evidence to the contrary, but in terms of actual numbers, it is being argued that we really have no clue about the overall impact of ride-sharing services and drunk driving accidents. It seems that these claims are merely based on a common sense approach and an educated guess. Continue reading

April 14, 2016

Drunk Driving on Prom a Concern for Boston Parents

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

It’s prom season.

High school students across the country are preparing for the biggest bash of the last four years, scouring for the perfect dress, the right date and all the best reservations. While students are generally most concerned with having a memorable night, parents want to make sure they remember it for all the right reasons.

Far too often, prom night ends in tragedy for those who drink, take drugs and then get behind the wheel. Of course, it’s not just prom night. Late spring is associated with an unusually high number of teen-related drunk driving car accidents. Part of that has to do with the fact there are so many back-to-back celebrations. Teens, who are still by virtue of their age inexperienced drivers, are emboldened by new-found freedoms and the prospect of new beginnings. And when youth are so focused on having a good time, the good judgment they may normally display can take a backseat – particularly when they are driving.

So what can parents do? Continue reading