Boston Car Accident Lawyer Blog
There have been quite a number of auto accidents reported in the Boston area within the past year. Many residents within Massachusetts do not hop into their car expecting that an accident will occur, but they are not shocked when it happens, either. We pick up our keys and head fearlessly on to the roads of Boston, praying that we will avoid all of the possible mishaps. Have you ever traveled northbound on Route 93? Have you ever passed the Freeport Street exit? If this is a road that you travel frequently on, then you may have heard about or even saw what happened on October 3rd.
Maura Bertolino, a 30-year old woman residing in East Boston, decided to have a number of alcoholic drinks in the morning. Afterwards, she took off in her car and up Route 93 for a casual drive. As she approached the Freeport Street exit in Dorchester, she moved out of the center lane and on to the right lane. She then entered back on to the center lane, sped up, and crashed directly into the back of an unmarked police cruiser. As if this was not dangerous enough, she then put her car in reverse and backed into another car. Thankfully, no one was hurt from her negligent actions but Bertolino was taken to the hospital to be treated for severe intoxication.
Drunken driving causes many accidents and can tend to injure innocent victims. Even in the best of circumstances, automobiles are still responsible for the injuries of pedestrians, bike riders, and other drivers. According to the U.S. Department of National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, more than 10,000 people died in alcohol impaired driving crashes in the year 2010, which is an average of one person every 51 minutes. These crashes “cost more than an estimated $37 billion annually.” Although you may not be physically hurt, your car can be damaged due to someone else’s negligence. The costs can affect your financial stability and should not be your responsibility when the accident was not your fault. Innocent victims can recover these costs from negligent drivers by bringing a legal claim against them.
The accident above, like many that we read about today, could have easily been avoided. A person who decides to drink and drive is essentially deciding to have an accident. It is a driver’s responsibility to operate a motor vehicle with care in respect to themselves and in relation to others. People often take this responsibility for granted and then try to avoid paying the costs. As the end of the year quickly approaches, we will celebrate the holidays with family and some of us will celebrate with alcohol. If you decide to have a few drinks with your holiday meal this year, then please designate a driver to take you home safely once the celebration is over. The attorneys at Altman & Altman are concerned about your safety and want to make sure that you are unharmed this holiday season.
Sources: Allegedly Drunk Woman Slams Cop Car In Morning Crash Metro, October 3, 2012
