St. Patrick’s Day Brings Increased Drunk Driving Dangers to San Diego

Drunk driving crashes, unfortunately, happen every day across the country, with many such auto accidents in San Diego happening, as well. However, holidays often see an increase in drunk driving due to festivities and increased access to alcohol.

Of all of these holidays, St. Patrick’s Day is typically seen as the one with the greatest connection to drinking and, in relation, drunk driving. In order to prevent a rash of drunk driving car crashes from breaking out on the holiday this March 17, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is highlighting the dangers everyone needs to know this St. Patrick’s Day.

According to the NHTSA, 103 people died on St. Patrick’s Day in 2009 due to auto accidents, with 37% involving at least one driver who had a blood alcohol content of at least .08%, the legal limit in all states. Because of the high rate of drunk driving, the NHTSA reminds all partygoers to secure a safe ride home that does not involve them driving after indulging in alcohol. All St. Patrick’s Day celebrators should use public transportation or a designated driver to arrive safely home, and should also report all possible drunk drivers to police immediately.

However, St. Patrick’s Day isn’t the only time when drunk driving happens. The NHTSA reports that over 10,000 people died in the United States in 2010 due to some form of impaired driving and that, on average, someone dies every 51 minutes in a drunk driving crash.

The San Diego drunk driving victim lawyers understand that reckless and dangerous drunk drivers can injure even the most responsible and careful driver in a crash. For more information on how we can aid you in finding compensation for your injuries in a drunk driving crash, contact us today.…

Vista Drunk Driving Suspect Arrested After Car Accident and Abandoning Injured Passenger

On Thursday, March 12, at about 5 p.m., a 19-year-old teenage drunk driver was heading southbound on North Indiana Avenue in the North San Diego County city of Vista. The teen failed to stop before the turn, which caused the car to hit the curb and blow a tire out. The car then accelerated and crashed into the Vista Clock Tower. According to the story, right after the car crash, the driver took off leaving his 16-year-old injured passenger behind.

San Diego Sheriff’s Deputy Laura Hurtado said that the passenger, riding in the front seat, suffered a cut lip and burns from the deployed airbag.

The drunk driver was arrested a short distance away and was taken to the hospital where he was treated for injuries on his forehead. The teen driver has been booked on charges of driving under the influence, felony hit-and-run, and child endangerment.…

Department of Transportation Shuts Down Truck Operator for Unsafe Driving

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), part of the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT), regularly shuts down trucking companies due to repeated or serious safety violations. The agency recently ordered an individual California truck driver off the road, however – an extra step that the agency rarely takes except in serious cases.

According to the out of service order filed by the FMCSA, the driver had violated both state law and federal regulations regarding drug or alcohol use and driving several times over the past year. The agency says that the driver has been cited more than once for driving a commercial vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Impaired or drunk driving is dangerous in any vehicle, but when the driver is operating a large truck or bus, the results can be devastating.

The driver has also been cited for other safety violations, including areas such as the FMCSA’s Hours-of-Service rules and logbook requirements. The hours of service and logbook rules are intended to prevent accidents caused by fatigued driving. They limit the number of hours each day and each week a driver may be on duty, and require drivers to get rest during their off time.

Distracted, drowsy, or impaired truck drivers greatly increase the risk of harming others on the road. If you’ve been injured in a California truck accident, the experienced San Diego truck accident victim lawyers can help. Contact us today for a free and confidential case evaluation.…

Santee Roadway Sign Encourages Drivers Not to Drink and Drive

A new sign reading “Please Don’t Drink and Drive” greets drivers on state Route 125 in Santee, the legacy of a fatal drunk driving crash in 2009 that claimed one life and sent another driver to the hospital with serious injuries. The sign was paid for by the deceased driver’s family, who wanted a way to warn other drivers against causing these preventable car crashes and to remember their loved one.

The sign honors the victim of the 2009 crash, who lost her life when an intoxicated teen driver crashed into her vehicle. The teenager survived the accident, but suffered brain damage including memory loss and blindness in one eye. Now at the age of 21, the driver has joined the fight to eliminate drunk driving and encourage others to drive safe and sober.

Driving under the influence of alcohol or other drugs (DUI) in San Diego can carry both criminal penalties and civil ones. The families of a motorist, pedestrian, or other person killed in a drunk driving crash may be able to seek compensation in the form of a car accident wrongful death claim against the impaired driver who caused the crash. While financial compensation can’t restore a lost loved one to life, it can make planning for the future easier for those left behind.

If someone you love has lost their life in a drunk driving or other car accident, please don’t hesitate to contact our experienced car accident wrongful death attorneys in San Diego to learn more about your legal rights and options. Call us today for a free and confidential case evaluation.…

San Diego Drunk Driver Crashes into Car with Flat Tire on I-5

A San Diego man was injured during the early hours of December 26 after his vehicle was struck by a drunk driver while on the side of Interstate 5 because of a flat tire. The incident occurred around 1:45 am on the northbound 5 freeway in San Diego when a drunk driver struck a Chevy Malibu parked on the side of the road, causing the Malibu to flip over several times, according to 10News.com.

Luckily, the driver of the vehicle only suffered minor wounds, including a cut on his head, and was able to crawl out of the wreckage. The drunk driver was arrested by California Highway Patrol and is now being held in San Diego County Jail. There were no other victims of the crash.

According to a recent study by Insurance.com, San Diego is the number one city in the country for DUI citations. San Diego was named number one for both 2010 and 2011 according to the study, beating out other cities such as Los Angeles and Indianapolis. While the stats do not necessarily mean that the city has more drunk drivers than anywhere else, it does show that there are many who drive under the influence of alcohol in the state every day.

In 2010, drunk driving-related car crashes resulted in 10,228 fatalities total throughout the United States, with 791 of these occurring in California alone, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Every year, thousands of people are injured by drunk drivers and thousands more are killed. Even as state and local law enforcement continues to crack down on those who choose to drive while intoxicated, it is estimated that a person drives drunk an average of 80 times before he or she is arrested, according to Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD).

Vehicle accidents caused by drunk drivers can result in devastating injuries for those victimized. If you or a loved one has been injured by someone driving under the influence of alcohol, the drunk driving victim attorneys in San Diego can help you recover compensation for your losses and injuries. Contact us today for a free consultation on your case.…