Drinking and driving is a practice that is never accepted in any part of the country. Drinking alcohol causes impairment in nearly all activities you may try to complete, especially your driving skills. In 2009, there were 30,797 cases of crashes, about 9,813 of which were cases of impaired driving; 32% of them involved DUI (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration 2009).
Unfortunately people still make the mistake of driving impaired in Arizona. Just last week, an off duty police officer endangered his own son’s life. He is now in jail after drunk driving his son to school in Surprise, Arizona. He was charged with an aggravated DUI and endangerment, both felonies.
The 39-year-old police-driver drove his 7-year-old son to school last Wednesday morning while intoxicated (KPHO 4/14/11). He missed a turn, drove on the sidewalk, struck a signal pole, went on to hit another school zone sign and sideswiped a car twice in its rear end.
He was also given a drug test and was found to have a nervous system depressant in his blood. He later denied taking any drugs except that he took a Nyquil the night before, which he claimed was the cause of his grogginess.
There are many types of substances that can affect the way we think, our body’s condition and our capabilities—even legal drugs. If you are taking any medications that could effect your alertness, try to avoid driving or participating in other potentially dangerous activities until you know how it will effect your body. If you have had anything to drink, please do not get behind the wheel—find a designated driver or call a service to get you home safely.
If you are a victim of an Arizona drinking and driving accident, then give us a call at (602) 267-1280 for some advice. We can answer your questions and hopefully help you get the compensation you deserve.
In an effort to push Arizona drunken driving accidents to an all time low, authorities have been strengthening programs to catch offenders before they can do much damage to life and property. This past holiday season, a statewide collaboration resulted in more than 3,000 arrests for driving under the influence in just a span of 5 weeks.
Last week, in a routine check for drivers under the influence and other traffic offenders, Gilbert police were able to catch a man who attempted to flee after a DUI stop near North Oak Street, Thursday early morning (AZ Central 03/25/2011).
According to reports, an officer attempted to stop a vehicle near Gilbert Road and Park Avenue at around 3:30 a.m. but the vehicle continued going and drove into a parking lot on the 100 block of North Oak Street.
The 39-year old driver then fled the vehicle as police went after him on foot. Officers attempted to use a taser to stop him but missed.
The man was finally caught around 4:30 a.m. after hiding behind pallets of boxes and faces charges of driving under the influence and failing to obey and yield.
It is a known fact that alcohol and driving kills. This lethal combination has led to thousands of fatal car accidents in Arizona in the past and will remain to be a major factor as people continue to ignore the dangers of such negligence.
In 2009, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that 32 percent of traffic fatalities involved an alcohol impaired driver. Call us at (480) 753-4534 if you or someone you know has been a victim of an impaired driving accident, we may be able to help you bring these negligent drivers to justice.
For many years, we have recognized the dangers that are associated with drunk driving. In fact, both the government and the private sectors have established organizations to work towards eliminating DUI accidents on the road. Drugged driving or driving under the influence of any drug can affect the brain or impair someone’s motor skills, reaction time, and judgment, and is starting to become a major concern for everyone.
Unlike the data on the danger of driving under the influence of alcohol which can easily be found, less specific information is known when it comes to those who drive under the influence of other (illegal) drugs. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, drugs such as marijuana and cocaine have been detected in 18% of motor vehicle driver deaths.
A Mesa car crash occurred after an officer tried to stop a vehicle near Baseline and Alma School Roads around 1 a.m. on Thursday (ABC15 01/13/2011). The motorist was driving recklessly and did not stop. It drove into an alley and crashed into the back fence of a home.
The driver went to the backyard of the home where he was arrested. There were two other passengers (both females) who walked away from the scene but were arrested in the alley.
According to ABC15 charges were filed against the three suspects. The driver was booked on failure to yield, trespassing and criminal damage, while the two female passengers were booked on warrants and possession of illegal drugs.
In order to control and lessen the number of fatalities and injuries due to drugged driving, some States such as Arizona, “per se” laws have been passed stating that it is illegal to operate a motor vehicle if there is detectable level of illegal or prohibited drug or metabolites in you system. Moreover, Drug Evaluation and Classification Programs are being implemented in a majority of the states in the country. It aims to train police officers on how to detect characteristics of a person that may be intoxicated with drugs.
If you or someone you know has been a victim of a car crash in Arizona that involved a drugged driver, contact one of the Arizona drugged driver injury attorneys at Breyer Law Offices P.C. Dial (480) 753-4534 to schedule your free consultation. We may be able help you in getting the payment you deserve for the damages you or your family member has acquired.
Did you know that according to MADD, one person dies every minute due to drunk driving? Impaired driving is one of the primary reasons of car accidents in the United States. Based on the 2009 data from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (NHTSA-FARS), a total of 9,813 episodes of alcohol-impaired driving occurred in the United States. In Arizona alone, there were 196 cases of alcohol-impaired driving.
One day before Christmas day, a man suspected of driving under the influence had a series of crashes in Avondale. The incident occurred around 3:30 p.m. at Dysart and Sage roads when the driver collided with another vehicle and fled the scene. He then crashed into more vehicles and even hit some homes in a local community.
Witnesses called the police and driver was apprehended. He was taken to a local hospital due some injuries he sustained in the multiple Arizona car accidents. He will be charged with DUI and taken into police custody by the time he is released in the hospital.
Drinking and driving is a serious offense. Drivers can be charged of manslaughter if they kill someone while driving drunk. Thus, if you cannot avoid drinking and driving, you always have the option to find a designated driver. If you do not have a driver to pick you up there are many other services to get you home safely. AAA Arizona is offering once again their free tipsy tow service this New Year’s—call 1-800-AAA-HELP between 6pm on 12/31 to 6am on 1/1/11 and ask for a “tipsy tow” to take advantage of the free program.
If you or someone you know have been a victim of a car crash in Arizona that involved a drunk driver, contact one of the Avondale drunk driver injury attorneys at The Breyer Law Offices P.C. by calling (480) 753-4534 to schedule your free consultation. We may be able help you in getting the payment you deserve for the damages you or your family member has acquired.
Drunk or impaired driving is a serious offense because of the increased risk of accidents and injuries to others on the road, but it is even more serious when involving innocent children. Stories of children injured due to a drunk driver are very sad and we always hope for a speedy recovery. When a drunk driving parent risks the lives of their own children by driving with them in the car, the story is even sadder.
A Phoenix mother was arrested for three counts of assault and driving under the influence of alcohol in an October 4th accident that left her and her three children seriously injured (KPHO 10/21/10). She was driving and crossed through oncoming traffic to slam into a concrete wall. The woman took a breathalyzer test and the results came back at .174 percent, which is more than double the state’s legal limit. She has been booked into jail while her children are recovering from their injuries with their father.
Approximately every 45 minutes, someone dies in an alcohol-related accident in the U.S. (Center for Disease Control and Prevention 7/30/10). About half of the children under 14 who died in impaired driving accidents in 2008 were passengers in the car with the drunk driver (CDC 7/30/10).
If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident you believe was caused by an impaired driver, you may deserve compensation. Our Phoenix child injury accident attorneys have handled a wide-range of auto accident cases and can help you hold negligent motorists liable. Call us today for a free consultation; we may be able to help as the experienced attorneys of Breyer Law. We’re available at (602) 267-1280.
Sometimes it is very difficult to find a personal injury lawyer after a serious car accident. That is not to imply that there are not enough lawyers, but rather that there are so many people who claim that they can handle individual cases. Cases in which a car turns left at an intersection, even when the other was issued a citation under Arizona Revised Statutes ARS 28 772, can become extremely complex. First of all, a vehicle taking a left turn at an intersection is required not to begin turning until they can safely do so. Secondly, the defense for the vehicle that collides with the left-turning often alleges that the other vehicle was speeding, even if a traffic citation was issued at the accident scene for the vehicle turning left.
Those who have been injured in left turn accidents should find the best Arizona personal injury lawyer that they can find. The reason this is so vital that someone in this position seeks legal counsel goes beyond finding the best Tucson personal injury lawyer or best Phoenix car accident attorney you can find. It means rather that an injury victim should find the Arizona personal injury attorney that fits his or her case. The right lawyer will give you honest answers, can guide you through the insurance claims process, and take your case all the way to a jury trial if that is what is necessary to get full and fair compensation for your claim.
Feel free to contact us if you have any questions. We will not charge you for the initial consultation, and work on a contingency basis in all of our personal injury cases. We will give you an honest evaluation of your potential claim so that you can decide on the best course of action for your particular case.
The Arizona Revised Statutes ARS 28 693 and ARS 28 695 deal with reckless and aggressive driving respectively, and are also commonly used in drunk driving cases as well. Known as “road rage”, this type of errant behavior by drivers has become a seriously problem on Arizona’s roads. Serious injuries can result from the lack of sense and courtesy some drivers display to others with whom they must share the road. People who drive in an aggressive or reckless manner are not only responsible under Arizona’s statutes, but they can additionally be held liable in Arizona’s civil courts when their actions cause serious injury or wrongful death to others.
Many people in Arizona do not feel they have a right to make a civil claim just because another driver failed to control his or her temper, resulting in serious injuries to others. To the contrary, the filing of a personal injury claim through Arizona’s civil courts in response to a road rage incident that resulted in serious injury is perfectly legal. The best Arizona auto accident injury attorneys know that, along with the criminal prosecution, a personal injury suit can help pay for medical expenses, lost income, and in a number of other ways help to compensate an injured victim for the damages incurred due to the accident.
If you are considering pursuit of a personal injury claim following a hit and run accident, an incident involving road rage, or other reckless driving accident, we encourage you to contact the professional personal injury lawyers at Breyer Law Offices. We take great pride in providing you with straightforward answers about your case. We offer a free evaluation that will help enable you to decide the best course of action for you or your loved ones in any possible personal injury claim.
In September, an article reported that a Yuma woman was killed in a single vehicle car accident. A small bit of justice in this Yuma resident’s wrongful death came in the form of a one year sentence handed down to the driver. The driver, who had previously been arrested for driving under the influence but who had been allowed to keep his driver’s license, was reportedly driving drunk at the time the car accident occurred.
Stories such as this show that more must be done to prevent drunk driving accidents in Arizona.
Personal injury lawyers in Yuma, Scottsdale, Tucson, Phoenix and elsewhere in Arizona know the pain caused by victims of drunk drivers. Not only should drunk drivers be prosecuted in criminal court, but when serious injury or wrongful death occurs as a result of someone driving under the influence, personal injury lawyers should be brought in to ensure that those hurt by their actions are compensated. This can both benefit the survivors and their families and serve as a deterrent for any further drunk driving.
Deciding to bring a wrongful death claim can be difficult and, while we think it is important for families who have lost a loved one to pursue legal means to get compensated in cases like these, we know each family must make a decision based on what is right for them. It is not always necessary nor always in the victim’s best interest to pursue a claim to the fullest extent of the law. Sometimes a lawsuit can add to the grief. That is why it is important for lawyers in drunk driving cases to answer questions and otherwise provide the best information so that the family may decide if it is best for them to pursue a wrongful death or personal injury claim.
We embrace our role as experienced personal injury trial lawyers not just in successfully pursuing defendants on behalf of our clients, but also in helping the families who have lost a loved one in an Arizona wrongful death car accident get their questions answered so they can decide whether or not they wish to pursue any type of lawsuit or personal injury claim.
At Breyer Law Offices, we are here not only to effectively pursue compensation after an Arizona wrongful death car accident, but also to help the families decide whether any type of lawsuit or personal injury claim is right for them.
Drunk drivers are causing more serious injuries and deaths on Arizona’s roads. According to reports in the Camp Verde Bugle, the death toll of 502 deaths related to alcohol on Arizona’s roads is climbing back towards 582 deaths in alcohol-related motor vehicle accidents that were reported in 1986.
No amount of money will bring back a loved one. Criminal courts only deal with the punishment of drunk drivers, so who will look after those who are left behind? Arizona personal injury lawyers can aid families who have lost an income or are dealing with other financial hardships associated with a wrongful death from someone else’s negligence in a drunk driving accident. Even if someone is only injured in a drunk driving accident in Phoenix, there are often huge financial costs associated with their injuries. Whole families are affected by drinking and driving, and we continue to watch with trepidation as deaths from drunk driving climb in Arizona.
Arizona auto accident lawyers like us help the victims of drunk drivers, and we know many of the questions people ask before bringing a claim. How long will it take to claim? What if the injury is serious? Will it take longer in such cases? What is necessary to file a lawsuit against a drunk driver? Can the party who drank and drove be forced to pay for pain or lost wages because of their negligence? We can answer these questions and many more to enable a family or individual to decide whether to file a personal injury claim.
Keeping the lines of communication with our clients open is important to us, though we are also proud of the fact that we are extremely successful in ensuring that our clients are compensated for their injuries. We are more than willing to answer questions of those involved or affected by serious injury or wrongful death caused by someone else’s negligence. It is not just the legal merit of the case we look at, but whether the claim is in the best interests of the family or individuals involved.
Meanwhile, we can only hope that the enforcement of drunk driving laws by prosecutors and the pursuit of damages by personal injury trial lawyers will help decrease the current spike in fatalities on Arizona’s roads.
The destruction and serious injuries caused by DUI accidents in Arizona outrages me. Those who drink and drive must be prosecuted, and drunk drivers ought to be sued by the injured victims in civil court by personal injury attorneys.
A January 10 report in the East Valley Tribune left me shocked and saddened. A family of four was hit at a four way stop when a pickup driven by two teens went through the stop sign without stopping, broadsiding the family’s car. It was determined that excessive speed caused the crash, and that the two teenagers were under the influence of alcohol. Two boys, aged 6 and 11, died in the crash, and the wife was in critical condition.
The line must be drawn somewhere for those who drink and drive. We as a society must do everything possible to prevent such tragic Arizona drinking and driving accidents from happening.
As Phoenix lawyers that deal with serious injury and wrongful death in Arizona, we aid Mesa, AZ families who have experienced injuries due to accidents. In this case, there is nothing we can do to bring back the lives of these two boys, nor can any settlement bring solace to their parents. Even if we sued the teenagers and their families for everything they had, it would not undo the harm they have caused. Yet it is imperative that drunk drivers be punished not only in criminal courts but also with personal injury cases in civil courts. We at Breyer Law Offices have never defended drunk drivers nor have we taken on drunk driving criminal defense cases. We cannot ethically do so. Rather, we will stand up for the rights of the victims of drunk drivers.
After any drunk driving accident, there are usually innocent victims. These innocent bystanders not only should be compensated for their losses, but as members of society their personal injury suits serve as an added punishment, and hopefully a future deterrent, to drunk drivers. Those who drink and drive must know that they are not only putting their freedom at risk should they be caught, but they may also lose their assets as well. Victims of drunk drivers and their families should contact experienced Arizona DUI accident victim lawyers to both punish drunk drivers as well as receive the compensation that is due them.
Our condolences go out to this family, who can never be compensated enough.
