Articles Posted in Drunk Driving Accidents

Driving under the influence or while under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs leads to many serious risks and can lead to devastating injuries or even deaths. Driving while impaired with alcohol has been shown to impair one’s judgment, reaction time, and ability to process changing driving conditions on the road. Every day, 29 people die in motor vehicle accidents in the United States that involve an alcohol-impaired driver according to the CDC. This equates to one death every 50 minutes, and the annual cost of car accidents involving alcohol totals more than $44 billion according to the CDC.

A recent news article reports that a car accident happened in the area of Willows Road and Abberly Crest Lane in Lexington Park in Maryland. It was a rear-end crash and deputies found one person unresponsive when they arrived at the scene. A preliminary investigation determined that a car traveling northbound was struck in the rear end by another car, which was operated by an 18-year-old male. The 18-year-old driver was taken to a local hospital in critical condition and later succumbed to his injuries. An initial investigation found that speed and alcohol played a role in the accident.

In the state of Maryland, driving under the influence (DUI) has different consequences than driving while impaired (DWI). In Maryland, a person may be charged with a DUI if their blood alcohol concentration (BAC) level is .08 percent or higher, which is called under the influence per se. A DUI conviction will result in 12 points on your license, which can result in a license revocation. In Maryland, a DWI holds slightly lesser consequences. A DWI charge involves a BAC that is .07 percent and when the driver is presumed impaired.

In Maryland, hit-and-run accidents refer to incidents in which at least one individual involved in a crash leaves the scene before rendering aid or providing identifying information. These crashes contribute to the pain and suffering and economic burdens of typical injury crashes but can aggravate the severity of a victim’s outcome. The delay or complete lack of medical attention for the victim can lead to deadly consequences. In addition to civil ramifications, those who flee an accident scene can face criminal charges.

An analysis by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Fatal Reporting System (FRS) revealed an increase in fatal hit-and-run accidents. There are many individual, vehicle, and environmental factors that play a role in these accidents. Additionally, researchers apply two primary behavioral theories to drivers who commit hit-and-runs. Under the “rational decision theory,” drivers may decide to flee when they have the opportunity, the incentive, and the time to flee. For instance, drunk driving is more likely to occur at night or when there is limited lighting and fewer witnesses. Similarly, a drunk driver who commits an accident at night may take the opportunity to flee.

For example, a recent article reported on a 3 a.m. Hagerstown drunk driving accident where the driver may have been attempting to flee. Police explained that they saw the driver leaving the scene when they arrived at the accident. Police apprehended the vehicle on the ramp and arrested the driver with DUI. The second car’s driver and one passenger suffered life-threatening injuries. Further, emergency responders transported another passenger to the “shock trauma” unit. Early evidence suggests that both drivers may have been under the influence of alcohol.