What can be done to reduce drunk driving accidents in Middletown New York?
Drunk driving accidents often cause injury and damages that lead to legal proceedings. Hiring a competent experienced attorney is necessary to assure the best outcome for penalties, fees and jail time.
Approximately 30 people die in alcohol-related accidents in America every day and almost one third of U.S. traffic crash deaths involved drivers who were under the influence of alcohol at levels of .08 g/dL or higher. Even at lower BAC levels, alcohol-related accidents are still increased by impaired drivers. Individuals, law enforcement and public institutions can take measures that will reduce the incidence of drunk driving in Middletown New York.
Individual actions against drunk driving accidents.
- Do not drive when you have been drinking,
- Insist on a designated driver if you are planning on going out with a group who plan on drinking.
- Do not mix alcohol with any other drugs, including over-the-counter medications as they sometimes negatively interact and cause increased lethargy and decreased reaction time for any kind of body movements, nonetheless those requiring acuteness such as driving a car,
- Do not get into a car with someone who has been impaired by drinking.
- If you encounter another driver on the roadway who is driving erratically, contact the highway patrol as soon as possible and give them a license number.
Law enforcement and public institutional action.
- Sobriety checkpoints allow police to briefly stop vehicles at specific, highly visible locations to see if the driver is impaired.
- Ignition interlocks installed in cars measure alcohol on the driver’s breath. Interlocks keep the car from starting if the driver has a BAC above a certain level, usually 0.02%. Mandating interlocks for all offenders, including first-time offenders, will have the greatest impact.
- Media campaigns spread messages about the physical dangers and legal consequences of drunk driving.
- Administrative license revocation or suspension laws allow police to take away the license of a driver who tests at or above the legal BAC limit or who refuses testing. States decide how long to suspend the license; a minimum of 90 days is effective.
- Alcohol screening and brief interventions take advantage of “teachable moments” to identify people at risk for alcohol problems and get them treatment as needed. This combined strategy, which can be delivered in health care, university, and other settings, helps change behavior and reduces alcohol-impaired crashes and injuries.
- School-based instructional programs are effective at teaching teens not to ride with drunk drivers.
Serious charges need legal representation.
Legal problems requiring experienced representation in New York, include both the charges for DWI and DWAI. If you are charged with a DWI your blood alcohol content (BAC) was recorded at .08 or higher and you are considered legally drunk in New York. DWI is a criminal charge because a person operated a vehicle while over the legal limit of alcohol consumption. If a driver has a BAC between .05 and .07 the charge will be DWAI and considered a traffic infraction so the ability to plea down charges is a possibility. Jail time, fines and the loss of a driver’s license along with a criminal record can be outcomes to these charges so it is best to consult an experienced criminal defense attorney in Middletown New York. The criminal case outcome often impacts the strength of a civil action.
Hire an attorney.
If you have caused injury or damages due to a drunk driving accident, contact an experienced criminal law attorney at the Law Office of Alex Smith, for a case evaluation to discuss legal options available.
Alex Smith, Esquire
Address:
6 North Street
Middletown, New York 10940
Telephone: (845 )344-4322
Email: [email protected]
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