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.
You can get involved by joining Massachusetts’ Victim Impact Panel (VIPs). Officials with Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) hold VIPs the first Thursday of every month at 15 New England Executive Park in Burlington, MA, the second Thursday of every month at UMASS Medical School and the third Thursday of every month at the Dunbar Y and Community Center in Springfield.
The risk of being killed in an alcohol-related crash increases during the New Year’s holiday. Although this should hardly be a surprise, an analysis released recently by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found the average number of fatalities from alcohol-related accidents on New Year’s Day was almost 150 percent higher than the average for the same day of the week during the holiday season.
Yet nine out of 10 drivers view drinking and driving as a serious threat to their personal safety. If so many are against it, why is it such a serious problem here in the U.S.?
But there are ways that you can avoid these accidents. Bar and restaurant owners, along with local officials, urge people to choose a designated driver before heading out for the night or to take a taxi home.
If you don’t have a sober driver, simply call a taxi to come get you. If that is not an option, you can always consider public transportation. Here in Boston, there are many ways to get home after a night of holiday celebration. If worse comes to worse, stay where you are. Getting behind the wheel after consuming alcohol not only runs the risk of a costly arrest, but you also risk your life.
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:
Habitual Drunk Driver Arrested In Lowell, Boston Drunk Driving Accident Lawyer Blog, December 1, 2013
Drunk Driver Blamed for Death of Elderly Man in Breakdown Lane, Boston Drunk Driving Accident Lawyer Blog, November 27, 2013