Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol can impair your judgment to the point that it can cause you to do crazy things like run a red light, speed upwards of 80 mph on roadways meant to be traveled at lower speeds or drive the wrong way on multiple lane highways, one way streets or exit and entrance ramps.
Other motorists then are at risk of a drunk driving accident in Manhattan when an intoxicated or drugged driver uses poor taste which leads them down the wrong path, literally.
New York State Police are investigating a crash involving a wrong-way driver, reports My Fox New York. A recent three-vehicle accident has investigators sorting out the details leading up to the early Saturday morning crash.
Police received a call that a car was traveling east on the westbound lane of the New York State thruway right before a head-on crash occurred with an SUV near Exit 26. Shortly thereafter, a third vehicle collided with the SUV in the westbound lane. No one involved in the crash sustained life-threatening injuries but all five people were taken to Ellis Hospital by local EMS.
The driver that initiated the collision was charged with DWI, Unlawful Possession of Marijuana and vehicular assault. Those are all serious charges, but they could have easily been more serious had someone been seriously injured or killed. The driver should be thankful more damage wasn’t done.
New York drunk driving accident attorneys know that intoxicated drivers kill approximately 12,000 people every year on U.S. roadways. More research is needed to assess the dangers of marijuana use on driving ability but it isn’t a stretch to think that it can affect your judgment much like any other drug can. Anything that impairs your thinking is considered dangerous when you try to operate a vehicle because safety depends on a driver’s ability to make decisions in a split second.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported 321 deaths in New York caused by an intoxicated driver driving over the legal limit in 2009. This equates to roughly 28 percent of total traffic fatalities for our state which is below the national average at 32 percent. On average, roughly 44 out of every 10,000 drivers are arrested for driving under the influence each year in New York.
Interestingly, New York is one of 6 states currently pending legislation to allow the use of medical marijuana. Senate Bill S2774 proposes to legalize possession, use, delivery, transport, manufacture, and administration of marijuana by a qualified caregiver or certified patient for a prescribed medical use at no more than 2.5 ounces.
The bill was introduced to Senate Health Committee in February by Committee Chairman Tom Duane and is pending a decision. There are 16 other states that have already legalized the use of medical marijuana.
If you have suffered an injury or someone you love has been killed in a drunk driving accident in Manhattan, Queens or the surrounding areas, contact injury lawyer Nicholas Rose, PLLC for a free consultation to discuss your rights. Call 1-877-313-7673 for 24 hour assistance.
Additional Resources:
State Police Investigate Wrong Way Driver on NYS thruway, by Glenn Wilburn, MyFoxNY.com
Brutal Accident Remembered – NTSB Targeting Drunk Drivers in New York and Elsewhere, New York Injury Lawyer Blog, July 15, 2011
Memorial Day Holiday Weekend Sees Spike in Car Accidents in New York and Elsewhere, New York Injury Lawyer Blog, May 23, 2011
