Drunk Driver Causes Two Car Accidents in Long Island
A drunk driver was arrested recently after crashing her car, leading police to discover that she had also just fled the scene of another accident. Because there was a six-year-old passenger in the vehicle, the driver, Bianca Flores, 25, faces additional charges related to the endangerment of a child. No one was injured in either accident.
The outcome of this situation could have been much worse. Research assembled by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicates that motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of death for people under 24. What’s even more alarming is that 40 percent of those fatalities involve alcohol.
Although the dangers of drinking and driving have been known for years, millions of dollars have been spent on public awareness, and the penalties for driving while under the influence have grown more and more severe, alcohol-related accidents remain sadly predictable. This is particularly true amongst younger drivers and during holidays and weekends. Unfortunately, all the knowledge in the world doesn’t seem to prevent people from getting behind the wheel after drinking.
What has long been known is that even a little alcohol can impair a driver’s judgment and slow his or her reaction time. A blood alcohol concentration of .08 renders the average driver 11 times more likely to have a wreck than a sober driver. With each additional drink, the likelihood of an accident multiplies, and the odds of a fatality increase.
The risks of drunk driving do not discriminate. Alcohol puts everyone — drivers and passengers, drunk and sober, young and old — in imminent danger of severe injury and death, and the penalties for drunk driving become more severe as soon as other people’s lives are impacted.
If you or a loved one has been injured in an auto accident involving a drunk driver, consult an experienced personal injury attorney at Jakubowski, Robertson, Maffei, Goldsmith & Tartaglia, LLP right away. The firm serves clients throughout Long Island, Suffolk County and Nassau County.