Earlier this week, the annual ‘Drunk Driving. Over The Limit. Under Arrest.’ campaign went into effect, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The effort, headed by U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, will crack down on drunk drivers even more so than in the past.
This year, a ‘No Refusal’ strategy is in place in many states. With this policy, police officers will have access to ‘on call’ judges, who can issue warrants for blood samples on the spot from drunk drivers who refuse to take a breath test.
We applaud LaHood in his effort to stop drunk driving. Driving under the influence is still one of the main causes for car accidents and serious injury/fatality caused by car accidents. While most people know the dangers of drunk driving, the statistics are appalling. For example, one person dies every 45 minutes due to a drunk driving accident.
The statistics of injuries and fatalities due to accidents involving alcohol are even worse during the holiday season. With so many celebrations and parties, drunk driving accidents with injuries occur much more frequently. Accidents with injuries involving impaired drivers increase significantly on Christmas and New Year’s in particular, two holidays that are fast approaching. The NHTSA shows that in 2005, 160 people lost their lives on Christmas due to accidents involving an impaired drivers. On New Year’s of 2005, 193 people lost their lives due to the same kind of accidents.
During this holiday season, we encourage all drivers to be responsible. Drunk driving accidents not only cause serious injury. They often result in fatality, and with that pain and heartache for the family and friends involved. There are many things you can help do to help prevent drunk driving, like keeping an eye on your guests if you are hosting a party or making sure you have a designated driver or taxi fare before you venture out.
If you or a loved one has been injured by a driver who was under the influence of alcohol, please call our law firm for a free, no-hassle consultation.
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Rick Shapiro has practiced personal injury law for over 30 years in Virginia, North Carolina, and throughout the Southeastern United States. He is a Board-Certified Civil Trial Advocate by the National Board of Trial Advocacy (ABA Accredited) and has litigated injury cases throughout the eastern United States, including wrongful death, trucking, faulty products, railroad, and medical negligence claims. During his three-decade career, Shapiro has won client appeals before the VA Supreme Court, VA Court of Appeals, NC Supreme Court, SC Supreme Court, WV Supreme Court, TN Supreme Court, and three times before the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, underscoring Shapiro’s trial achievements. In addition, he and his law firm have won settlements/verdicts in excess of $100 million. His success in and out of the courtroom is a big reason why he was named 2019 “Lawyer of the Year” in railroad law in U.S. News & World Report's Best Lawyers publication (Norfolk, VA area), and he has been named a “Best Lawyer” and “Super Lawyer” by those peer-reviewed organizations for multiple years. Rick was also named a “Leader in the Law, Class of 2022” by Virginia Lawyers Weekly (total of 33 statewide honorees consisting of lawyers and judges across Virginia). And in September 2023, Rick was selected as a recipient of the National Board of Trial Advocacy (NBTA) 2023 President’s Award. Although many nominations were submitted from across the country, Rick was just one of eight attorneys chosen by the prestigious National Board which certifies civil trial attorneys across the U.S. Rick was also recently named to Virginia Lawyers Weekly 2024 Virginia’s Go To Lawyers Medical Malpractice. The attorneys awarded this honor are nominated by their colleagues and chosen by a panel from the publication.
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