Boston Road Safety, Part 5: Impaired Driving
By all accounts, the scene was horrendous - a telephone pole snapped in half by the Ford Explorer that became wrapped around it after a drunk driving accident in Quincy.
Four people were seriously injured in the single-vehicle Boston car accident.
According to the Patriot-Ledger, the 24-year-old driver is facing charges of drunken driving, speeding, failure to stay in marked lanes and driving to endanger.
Authorities say the young woman had been drinking when she crashed into the phone pole, rolling over the vehicle and bringing down live electrical wires, which cut electrical service off to buildings on the opposite side of the street.
Two people were trapped inside, and one had been listed in critical condition and was undergoing emergency surgery at the time of the last report. While we frequently think of victims in other vehicles when we consider lawsuits in the wake of a serious or fatal car accident, the fact is victims inside an at-fault driver's car may also bring a claim.
The incident is a prime example of what officials with the Massachusetts Highway Safety Division want to eliminate with their campaign: Drunk Driving. Over the Limit. Under Arrest.
Our Boston DUI accident attorneys know how devastating the aftermath of a drunken driving crash can be. These senseless tragedies destroy lives.
That's why we have included this issue as part 5 of our Boston Road Safety series.
According to the state's highway safety division, Massachusetts saw nearly 350 fatal accidents in 2009. Of those, nearly 40 percent involved a drunk driver.
In 2005, the state enacted Melanie's Law , which increases the penalties for drunk driving in Massachusetts.
Some of the greatest changes under the new law include a requirement for an ignition interlock device for someone who wants to get their license back after their second conviction, even if the prior offense was decades ago. Additionally, your license can be suspended for consecutive terms (rather than concurrent, which means they run together) for DUI convictions or if you refuse a breath test when you're pulled over. There are also harsher license suspensions for under-21 drivers.
Still, some would like to see even greater penalties. Mothers Against Drunk Driving is hoping that future Massachusetts lawmakers will include provisions that Melanie's Law did not address, including a requirement for alcohol treatment programs for people who chronically drive drunk (especially for those behind bars). They would also like to see more police officers on the streets for deterrence purposes.
If you see a drunk driver on the road, call the police and report it.
Here are some tips from MADD on how to spot a drunk driver:
1. The person quickly accelerates or decelerates.
2. The driver is tailgating, zig-zagging or weaving across the roadway.
3. The driver may almost strike a curb, object or another vehicle
4. A drunk driver may stop without reason or brake erratically
5. A driver who is drunk will drift in and out of lanes.
6. An impaired driver will use improper signals, such as turning a blinker on when they aren't turning.
7. A drunk driver is likely to swerve.
8. The person has a slower response to traffic signals, either making a delayed start or sudden stop.
9. The driver may forget to use their headlights, even if it's dark.
10. A drunk driver may be traveling on the wrong side of the road, into oncoming traffic.
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