Boston Drunk Driving Accident Lawyer Blog

The polls are in and according to The Daily Beast’s 2011 list of the 25 Drunkest Cities in the United States, Boston ranks in at number one! Our city moved up from 8th place in the 2010 poll. While it’s nice to be a winner, being number one for drunkest city in the country may not be something to brag about. The drunker the city, the higher the chances are for a drunk driving accidents, and ultimately for a fatal accident.

These statistics were gathered through a mixture of research surveys and from statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Alcohol-related car accidents in Boston contributed to a majority of the traumatic brain injuries (TBI) in local hospitals throughout the year. These are some of the most severe injuries to be sustained by traffic collisions.

Our Massachusetts drunk driving car accident lawyers understand that alcohol-related traffic crashes account for about three quarters of all brain injuries in our city. According to The Atlantic, only about a fifth of car accidents result in serious brain injury nationwide, proving that Boston’s drug of choice is much more of a serious problem than in other areas in the country. In our city, most of these injuries resulting from alcohol-related accidents result in brain injury severe enough to warrant care from a rehabilitation hospital.

The ball has already dropped, New Year’s may be over and everyone may have put down their celebratory cocktail, but Bostonians don’t plan on stopping the celebration any time soon. In our city, it seems that with the latest polls and statistics, every season is a drinking season. Some of the top spots on the 25 Drunkest Cities in the United States are held by areas with a large beer-brewing industry, while others ranked high because of their thriving bar culture.

According to the study:

-Massachusetts’ populations: More than 4,750,250.

-Average monthly drinks consumed per person: 15.5.

-Percent of population that are heavy drinkers: 7.4 percent.

-Percent of population that are binge drinkers: 20.1 percent.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there were more than 300 people who died in car accidents in 2010 in Massachusetts. These are the most recent statistics on record. Across the U.S., alcohol-related car accidents accounted for more than 30 percent of all traffic fatalities throughout the year. While the number of these types of accidents did in fact experience a decrease from the previous year, there were still nearly 33,000 people who died because of these tragic and preventable accidents.

Yes, Boston is a fun and exciting place to live, but there’s no reason it should be a dangerous place to live, too. As we start out the New Year, drivers are asked to be cautious, alert and sober behind the wheel. The path to safer roadways starts with you.
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A female driver is facing motor vehicle homicide while intoxicated and negligent driving charges after a recent Haverhill car accident. The accident happened just outside a doughnut shop when she hit and killed a woman who was picking up doughnuts for her church. She was arrested and held on a $50,000 bail. The woman has entered a not-guilty plea of all charges, according to the Boston Globe.

Prosecutors report that the alleged intoxicated driver produced a blood-alcohol reading of twice the legal limit. Defendants for the impaired-driver say that she suffers from “seasonal depression.”

Our Massachusetts drunk driving accident attorneys have recently reported on the rise in the number of females being involved in drunk-driving incidents. Recent statistics conclude that women have experienced a 40 percent increase in the number of these types of incidents within the last decade. Recent studies into this epidemic have concluded that women who drink and drive are typically the primary caregivers of their children and hold lower-paying jobs.

Every year, there are about 11,000 people who die in alcohol-related accidents, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). A great number of these accidents happen during holidays, more specifically during the Christmas and New Year’s holiday.

With these holidays quickly approaching, the number of drunk-driving incidents is expected to skyrocket. These accidents are completely preventable with a little bit of responsible planning. Don’t let a drunk-driving accident ruin your life. Be responsible and sober at the wheel!

This year’s national holiday drunk-driving campaign “Drive Sober Or Get Pulled Over” is going strong throughout the U.S. From now until the 2nd of January, officers throughout the state are on the hunt for intoxicated drivers. Local enforcement agencies have received federal grant money to help fund the cost of increased DUI patrols.

There are nearly 200 local law enforcement efforts launched by departments in the state to help crack down on these dangerous drunk drivers. Enforcement efforts will include sobriety checkpoints and increased visibility by officers on roadways statewide.

Drivers are asked to remain sober at the wheel not only to avoid a costly arrest, but to help preserve the safety of our Massachusetts’ roadways throughout the remainder of the year and well into 2012. Drunk-driving accidents are 100 percent preventable.

Those who are venturing out to holiday gatherings with friends and family members are asked to go out with a plan. Find a designated, sober driver to help get you home safely if you’ll be drinking. There’s no reason for anyone to driver after consuming alcohol. Stay at a friend’s house, get a hotel room or use public transit to get home if you’ve been drinking. Happy Holidays and be safe!
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Women are being arrested for drunk driving in Massachusetts more and more nowadays. According to a recent release from the Traffic Injury Research Foundation, the number of drunk driving arrests among women has skyrocketed in recent years. A near 40 percent increase over the last ten years to be exact. The study also concluded that the average female drunk driver is better educated and older than her male counterparts. These individuals have also been found to be the primary caregivers to children and to have lower-paying jobs, according to The Washington Post.

This news wasn’t a shock to The Century Council, which launch the study after a 2009 accident where a New York mother drove her van on the wrong side of the road and caused an accident that killed her daughter, three nieces, three additional motorists and herself. Officials determined that she was both high and drunk at the wheel.

Our Massachusetts drunk driving car accident attorneys understand that the recent study illustrates mothering and drinking may be a bigger problem than the country realizes. According to The Century Council, drunk driving has been a problem that was predominantly associated with men in the country. Female drunk driver numbers were less common. Recent findings conclude that drunk driving convictions among women have become a top concern for officials since the late 1980s.

Just thirty years ago, women accounted for less than ten percent of the nation’s drunk driving convictions. From 1997 to 2007, the number of female drunk drivers who were busted by law enforcement increased by nearly 30 percent.

The recent study aimed to examine this evidence and to determine the magnitude of the problem, the characteristics of these drivers, their involvement in fatal alcohol-related accidents and different measures that are being used to stop this population of drunk drivers.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), adults drank and drove more than 110 million times in 2010. Men between the ages of 21- and 34-years-old accounted for less than a third of all drunk driving episodes. Nearly 90 percent of the drunk driving episodes involved binge drinking — 5 or more drinks for men or 4 or more drinks for women in a short time frame.

“Nearly 11,000 people are killed every year in crashes that involve an alcohol-impaired driver,” says CDC Director Thomas R. Frieden, M.D., M.P.H.

The Century Council says that the average age of a first drunk driving offense for a female is 31-years-old. A good portion of female drunk drivers are separated, divorced, single or are more likely to be living with a partner with an alcohol problem.

In many cases, female drunk driving offenders are likely to be the primary caretaker of children at the time of arrest, they’re likely to have experienced abuse and are more likely to have physical and mental health needs
As this problem grows, it’s important to keep an eye on the females in our lives. Parenting and modern-day problems take a toll on all of us. Let’s not allow these problems get out of hand. An occasional cocktail is alright, especially when enjoying it with friends a family members during the holidays, just don’t get behind the wheel of a motor vehicle after consuming alcohol. The consequences can be serious!
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Drunk driving car accidents in Massachusetts are expected to be a common occurrence through the remainder of the year. Each year, the holiday season sees more car accidents than any other time of the year. To combat drunk drivers and to prevent these accidents, the Watertown police recently made an announcement of their increased patrolling efforts from December 17th through the New Year, according to the Boston Globe.

The police department will be joining the efforts of officers statewide to curb these types of accidents. Police Chief Edward Deveau says his department’s message is clear, “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over.”

“Drinking alcohol and driving do not mix,” Deveau said. “If you plan to consume alcohol, you should also plan not to get behind the wheel of a vehicle or ride a motorcycle.”

Our Massachusetts drunk driving car accident lawyers understand that the Watertown Police Department’s efforts to track down drunk drivers through the holidays is a part of the national Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign. Police departments throughout the country have received federal grant money from the Security’s Highway Safety Division and the Executive Office of Public Safety to help pay for these enforcement efforts. Including the Watertown Police Department, there will be nearly 200 local law enforcement agencies joining the campaign alongside the Massachusetts State Police.

Deveau would like to remind drivers that there’s no holiday cheer in jail and every year too many drivers spend their holidays behind bars for drinking and driving. In 2010, there were nearly 60 people in the state of Massachusetts who were killed in drunk driving accidents.

The Massachusetts’ Public Safety Office offers you these tips to have a safe holiday season:

-Plan a safe way to get home before heading out to holiday gatherings. A designated driver is someone who has had nothing to drink, not the person who’s had the least to drink.

-If you don’t have a designated driver and you’ve been drinking, you’re urged to call a sober friend or a family member for a ride.

-If there’s no one available to pick you up, consider calling a taxi or using public transportation.

-If you’ve been drinking and don’t have a ride home, there’s always the option to get a hotel room or to stay at a friend’s house.

-If you spot a drunk driver on our roadways, officials ask you to contact law enforcement with the vehicle’s information and the location and direction it’s heading.

-If you see someone who has been drinking and is about to drive, take their car keys away from them and assist them in finding a safe way home. You’re intervention could help to save a life.

Yes, the holiday season is the perfect time for gathering with friends and family, but there’s never a good time to get behind the wheel after drinking. Have a happy holiday season and please be responsible.
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Reports indicate that those who have been convicted of operating under the influence (OUI) charges are being handed lenient sentences and minimal punishments in the state. Melanie’s Law was passed six years ago in the state to keep drunk drivers off of our roadways and to prevent drunk driving accidents in Massachusetts.

Republicans aren’t happy with the way the law’s being enforced so they’re calling for legislative oversight hearings to review the state’s drunk driving laws, according to The Herald News.

Melanie’s Law brought new penalties for both Operating Under the Influence of Alcohol and Operating After Suspension for Drunk Driving. Under this law, a driver who is busted driving under the influence with a suspended license for a previous OUI can be charged with two crimes; an OUI and an OUI with a suspended license. The additional offense comes with a minimum of a mandatory one-year jail sentence.

Our Boston drunk driving accident attorneys understand that Republican officials recently wrote a letter to the Joint Committee on the Judiciary requesting that one or more oversight hearings be carried out to look at the effectiveness of Massachusetts’ laws governing those who drive under the influence. One of the most beneficial measures in preventing drunk driving accidents in strict laws with appropriate sentences, studies have shown.

The Republicans also noted in the letter that they recognize the benefits that our state has seen since the passing of Melanie’s Law, but that the law is useless if it’s not properly enforced. Too many offenders are being let off easy after being charged with dangerous drunk driving crimes.

The letter voices displeasure with judges who have let off drunk driving defendants with a minimal punishment. The Republicans believe that these decisions are endangering innocent motorists on our roadways.

They reiterate that these hearings should not be used to place blame or to cast aspersions, but to help make our legal system stronger and our roads safer. This law was meant to be used as a comprehensive way to deal with these difficult cases. Melanie’s Law serves a black and white procedure to deal with drunk driving offenders.

In 2010, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) noted our state as being one of the 10 states that were doing the least to prevent drunk driving accidents. The letter states that our system’s failure to properly convict and sentence these offenders has done nothing but encourage the dangerous behavior. The caucus noted that there was an 80 percent acquittal rate for these cases and that raises a red flag for safe driving advocates and politicians statewide.

As the holidays draw near, we can expect more drunk drivers to be out on our roadways. Residents are urged to be responsible behind the wheel not only to avoid a headache in court, but to avoid a potentially fatal accident as well. Please be responsible throughout the remainder of the year and well beyond.
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Fatal alcohol-related car accidents in Massachusetts rank our state at 31st in the U.S. In 2009, there were nearly 110 people who died in the state because of drunk driving accidents. These accidents cost tax payers nearly $800 million, according to the Berkshire Eagle.

Recently, friends and family members of those who have been killed in an alcohol-related traffic accident gathered at St. Stephen’s Church to remember loved ones. There were nearly 100 people at the candlelight vigil, which was hosted by the local chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) and the Berkshire County District Attorney’s Office.

Our Boston drunk driving car accident lawyers understand that the holidays are a time for friends and family members to gather and give thanks. Unfortunately, friends and family members gathered at the St. Stephen’s Church to remember those who aren’t able to join us today. Every year, thousands of people are killed in drunk driving car accidents. These numbers skyrocket during the holiday season. Drivers are urged to be safe and responsible throughout the remainder of the year.

“This remembrance is the one gift we can give back to those we lost,” he continued. “Once again, sadly, the list has grown,” said District Attorney David F. Capeless.

Capeless also used this time to remind our community that December National Drunk and Drugged Driving Prevention Month. Capeless stood before our neighbors and spoke of nearly 50 local residents who had been killed in impaired-driving accidents. As Capeless would recognize each victim, a family member or a friend of that person would approach the altar and would light a candle on their behalf. If no one was able to attend for a particular victim, members from the Massachusetts State Police Department would light the candle for them. Many of the victim’s names were read with accompanying photos projected through a monitor on the front of the altar.

Capeless says that there are more and more names on the list every year, but it’s an event in which we can all come together to recognize our loved ones and to raise awareness about the problem — drunk driving.

This event has been hosted by the District Attorney’s Office since the late 80s.

With Christmas and New Year’s right around the corner, officials are expecting a significant increase in the number of fatalities we’ll see on our roadways, many of these alcohol-related. Residents are urged to be responsible during the holiday season and to avoid getting into the vehicle after consuming alcohol.

Residents are reminded to always designate a sober driver. If you’re unable to find a driver, consider spending the night in either a hotel room or at a friend’s house. There’s no reason for anyone to get behind the wheel after consuming alcohol. We wish you a safe and happy holiday season and ask everyone to celebrate responsibly.
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Thanksgiving is a time to gather with friends and family and to give thanks. Unfortunately, this is also a time when our roadways will be crowded and more dangerous than ever.

There will be nearly 40 million people who will travel more than 50 miles to join friends and family for a Thanksgiving celebration. Roughly 90 percent of these people will be traveling on U.S. roadways. This thankful holiday is a common backdrop for drunk-driving car accidents in Massachusetts and elsewhere. Recent statistics illustrate that Thanksgiving eve is the second most popular party night of the year.

Thanksgiving is the holiday where we see the most drunk-driving fatalities out of the entire year. Our Boston drunk driving accident attorneys understand that there has been an average of more than 560 alcohol-related car accident fatalities on this holiday in each of the last five year’s. Thousands more are injured each year.

Although law enforcement officials amp up their drunk-driving enforcement during popular holiday periods, far too many accidents still happen. It has been estimated that roughly 30 percent of all U.S. residents will be involved in an alcohol-related accident. Your chances of being the victim of a drunk-driving accident are higher than you may think, especially during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend.

On Thanksgiving and the following weekend, drivers are urged to plan safe routes, stay the night somewhere or just stay home altogether to help reduce risks of being involved in one of these drunk-driving accidents. If you see someone who you believe is drunk on our roadways, you should not hesitate to call local authorities.

We urge all residents to do their part to keep motorists safe during the holiday season. Let’s be able to give thanks for safe roadways this Thanksgiving.

‘The 2011 National “Drunk Driving. Over the Limit. Under Arrest.” Campaign will be going strong throughout the holiday season and the remainder of the year.

2011 National “Drunk Driving. Over the Limit. Under Arrest.” campaigns:

-November 27 through December 11, 2011: Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving
-December 16, 2011 through January 2, 2012: Drunk Driving. Over the Limit. Under Arrest.

If you think you’ve spotted a drunk driver on our roadways during the Thanksgiving holiday period or during any other time of the year, you are urged to call local authorities. Be sure to have the color, make and model of the car when calling. Be ready to provide the location and the headed direction of the suspicious vehicle as well. Authorities warn you to steer clear of the vehicle. Don’t get too close and risk your own safety. Your call could save a life.

Be responsible and have a safe and Happy Thanksgiving!
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