FATAL DRUNK DRIVING CRASHES CAN LEAD TO CRIMINAL CHARGES
On behalf of Law Office Of Scott G. Cerbin, Esq., PLLC on Monday, April 22, 2019.
Any adult who is going to head out to an event with alcohol should make sure that they plan for getting home. Trying to make it home after a few drinks can be a dangerous proposition, not only because of the risk of criminal charges if you are stopped by the police, but due to the chance of being involved in an accident.
Many people don’t realize what a large problem drunk driving is. There is gruesome news when it comes to the number of people who die in alcohol-related crashes. This number has decreased by around 48 percent since 1982. When you consider only people under 21, the number of drunk driving fatalities has decreased by around 80 percent.
Scope of the issue
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration notes that there were an estimated 10,874 people who died in drunk driving crashes in which a driver had a blood alcohol concentration of at least .08 percent. Around 7,368 of those were associated with a driver who had a BAC of at least .15 percent.
The only way that these crashes can be prevented is if people drinking alcohol find a designated driver, use ridesharing or take public transit home. These deaths are one of the reasons why police officers take such a harsh stance against drunk drivers.
Legal actions
A person who is driving while they are impaired by alcohol, drugs or any substance can face criminal charges for their actions. While a drunk driving charge is difficult to cope with, it is also possible that they will face other criminal charges if they are in an accident. These are possible if there is a serious injury or fatality caused by the wreck.
In the case of a fatal wreck, the driver could be charged with vehicular manslaughter. This can lead to considerable time in prison, as well as other possible sentences. This also comes with the knowledge that your decision to drive drunk led to someone losing their life.
Some drunk driving fatalities result in the driver being the defendant in not only a criminal case, but also a civil case. This occurs if the family members seek compensation for the loss of their loved one.
Anyone who is accused of drunk driving that leads to a fatal accident shouldn’t waste time before starting on their defense strategy. They need to review the evidence against them and work on finding ways to call the New York prosecutor’s claims into question.
