An off-duty officer was recently sentenced to six months behind bars following a drunk driving car accident in New York City. The accident happened when he rammed his vehicle head on into a tree outside of a popular Fifth Avenue store and then into the storefront itself, according to the New York Post.
In the collision, the officer broke five of his ribs as well as his hip. There were two passengers in the vehicle who also suffered lasting, debilitating injuries in the crash. When tested, the officer returned a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) reading of 0.13, which is well above the state’s legal limit of 0.08. In addition to the jail time, the officer is also required to enroll in a drunk driving program, he must install a breath-test device in his vehicle and he must do five years probation.
Long Island injury attorneys understand that there were more than 10,225 people who were killed in alcohol-related car accidents in 2010 across the nation. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recently released new statistics regarding these types of accidents. This is the most recent year in which this information is available. Alcohol-related car accidents accounted for more than 30 percent of all of the fatal accidents during that year.
In the state of New York, there were close to 450 people who were killed in alcohol-related car accidents in just 2010. These kinds of accidents contributed to about 40 percent of all roadway fatalities for the year. These were all accidents that were completely preventable and they were all friends and family members who didn’t have to die.
The sad thing about these accidents is that nearly 90 percent of the drivers who were involved reported a BAC reading of 0.08 percent, meaning that they were legally drunk at the time of the accident. Nearly 60 percent of all of the drivers reported a BAC reading of 0.15 or higher. Most frequently, 0.18 was recorded among drinking drivers in fatal accidents.
As a matter of fact, drivers with a BAC level of 0.08 or higher in fatal accidents in 2010 were four times more likely to have a prior conviction for driving while impaired than were drivers with no alcohol, reports the NHTSA.
As we push through the summer driving season, our roadways are filling up with travelers. Motorists are asked to be cautious and to stay sober behind the wheel. These accidents are completely preventable. Help to keep our friends and family members safe and designate a sober driver if you plans involve alcohol consumption. Happy travels.
The auto accident attorneys at the Law Offices of Nicholas Rose, PLLC offer free and confidential consultations to those who have been injured in a car accident in New York City, Brooklyn, Manhattan or elsewhere throughout the area. Call 1-877-313-7673 to set up your appointment to speak with someone about your case and to discuss your rights.
More Blog Entries:
Can You be Held Liable for Knowingly Letting Another Drive Drunk in New York?, New York Injury Lawyer Blog, May 17, 2012
Fatal New York Car Accidents Down; Still Too Many Deaths, New York Injury Lawyer Blog, February 6, 2012
