drunk driving

St. Louis Wrong Way Car Crash

August 7, 2018 By Christopher

Some of the most dangerous accidents that take place on the streets and highways of St. Louis are wrong-way collisions.

When a wrong way car crash happens, both vehicles almost always experience severe damage, and often one or both of the drivers will be injured. If this ever happens to you, it is an excellent idea to speak with a St. Louis car accident attorney to discuss your options. Below, we explain the statistics, causes, danger, avoidance tips, and liability surrounding wrong-way collisions.

Statistics

The 2012 Highway Special Investigation Report, compiled by the National Transportation Safety Board, provides detailed statistics on these types of accidents. The following are a few of their key findings:

Wrong-way collisions result in somewhere between 300 and 400 deaths every year, with the instances of non-fatal crashes being much higher.
The majority of these crashes come on divided highways, which are roads that have traffic going two ways without a divider between them.
It has been found that over half of wrong-way drivers are drunk when they collide with a driver on the right side of the road.

Causes

Though a wrong-way collision can happen for a variety of reasons, there are a few common causes that come up over and over again. The four primary factors are distraction, intoxication, aggression, and fatigue.

Why They Are so Dangerous

The primary factor that separates harmless accidents from severe ones is speed. As you can imagine, a crash that happens at 5 MPH is less likely to cause severe injuries. On the other hand, wrong-way collisions often combine two critical factors. First, the cars are going very fast. Second, they are headed straight at each other. In this case, the considerable momentum of both vehicles is fully transferred to the other, and the consequences are dire.

Avoidance Tips

The best way to avoid a wrong-way collision is, of course, to never drive on the wrong side of the road. To achieve this, simply do the opposite of the four causes we cited above. Pay attention to the road, never drive intoxicated, be defensive, and resist driving while fatigued. As far as dealing with other drivers on the wrong side of the road, your best shot is following general safe driving guidelines.

Liability

As far as liability goes, wrong-way collisions are usually fairly simple. Whichever driver was driving on the wrong side of the road is generally found liable, and they are required to pay damages. This doesn’t mean you are safe to fight this case alone, though. The most prudent way to approach any car crash case is with a lawyer at your side.

Though the results of a wrong-way collision are often incredibly damaging, the legal process that comes after doesn’t have to be. If you happen to be involved in one of these types of crashes, don’t hesitate to give us a call for FREE legal advice. Call us 24/7 at (314) 361-4242.

The Most Common Causes of Car Accidents

August 2, 2018 By Christopher

While a fair amount of St. Louis car accidents happen due to strange circumstances, the vast majority happen because of a specific set of common causes.

Understanding those causes can do two things for you. First, you can avoid those behaviors yourself, which will significantly decrease your risk of getting into an accident. Second, you can recognize when another driver is driving dangerously, and choose to keep your distance from them. With education and behavioral shifts, you can drastically increase your chances of safety.

Speeding

Cars driving over the speed limit get into accidents at a much higher rate than cars moving at appropriate speeds. This is because a speeding vehicle is hard to steer and slow down. If a speeding driver needs to stop quickly or make an evasive maneuver, they are much more likely to get into an accident than a driver that is going to speed limit.

Intoxication

Drinking alcohol or being on drugs significantly affects driving in a variety of ways. Drivers will often experience slower reaction times, poor judgment, aggression, and a tendency to become distracted. All of these factors combine to make intoxicated driving one of the top causes of accidents.

Distractions

Though most people are guilty of some sort of multitasking while on the road, it is incredibly unsafe and should be avoided. They eat, do makeup, take phone calls, text, and a variety of other distracting activities. The result is taking their eyes off the road and hands off of the wheel. This kind of distracted driving can be just as dangerous as drunk driving and is a significant cause of crashes.

Weather

The only common factor that is not behavioral is the weather. In the rain or snow, drivers will often lose control of their vehicles and the results will be dire. The best way to avoid this is taking all necessary safety precautions and avoiding the road entirely when conditions are especially dangerous.

Running Red Lights

Running red lights leads to a significant number of accidents every year. Overly aggressive or distracted drivers can do it, but either way, the consequences are dire. Given that these accidents come at high speeds and are often in a T-Bone alignment, the fatality rate of red light incidents is very high.

Fatigue

Drivers that are fatigued are a liability to themselves and the drivers around them. Much like drunk drivers, their reaction time and ability to stay focused suffer greatly. It may not get as much publicity as some other factors on this list, but fatigued driving is actually one of the most deadly.

Next time you’re out on the road, keep on eye on yourself and other drivers. If you are driving in a way that puts you at risk, then it is time to start removing that habit. On the other hand, if another driver is driving dangerously, then do your best to get away from them and towards safer drivers. If you end up in an accident for whatever reason, you can always contact our St. Louis car accident attorneys to discuss your options. Call us 24/7 at (314) 361-4242 for a FREE case evaluation.

Missouri DWI Laws

April 13, 2018 By Christopher

To try to curb the high percentage of accidents that happen due to drinking and driving – especially with underage drinking – Missouri has enacted what are called “Zero Tolerance” laws.

In Missouri, obtaining a driver’s license is not a right but a privilege. With that privilege come some expectations of drivers’ behavior for when they get behind the wheel. To try to curb the high percentage of accidents that happen due to drinking and driving – especially with underage drinking – Missouri has enacted what are called “Zero Tolerance” laws.

To be accused of a DUI in the state of Missouri, drivers must be over the legal limit of impairment. According to the law, a driver must have a BAC (or blood alcohol concentration) that is above 0.08 to be considered driving while under the influence. The BAC level is determined either by breathalyzer testing or blood.

Missouri Zero Tolerance Laws

Zero Tolerance laws pertain to drivers who are under the age of 21 and driving in Missouri. Since it is illegal to drink before you are 21 years of age, if you have any alcohol in your system at all, you are committing a crime. Therefore, if you have even one drink and get behind the wheel and are in an accident, you might be charged with a DWI.

A DWI means that you were driving while intoxicated. Although it’s generally not considered as serious of an offense as a DUI, it does come with some severe consequences. To be charged with a DWI, all that you need to have is a BAC of more than 0.02. It differs from a DUI in that anyone under the age of 21 who is tested with a BAC that is more than 0.02 can suffer long-term consequences.

What a Person Should Do If They Are Asked to Take a Breathalyzer Test

If someone is involved in an accident and is asked to take a breathalyzer test, they are required by law to comply. Because Missouri has “implied consent” laws, if someone is suspected by the police to have been drinking before they got behind the wheel, they must consent to taking a test. If they refuse the test, it can lead to stiffer penalties than if they were facing a DWI.

What If You Are Under 21 and You Have a BAC of Over 0.08?

If you are driving in Missouri and you have a BAC of over 0.08, then it is legally considered a DUI regardless of your age. If your BAC is that high, then you won’t get the lesser DWI charge – law enforcement will levy the full DUI charges against you.

If you or a loved one and have been injured in an accident caused by an individual who was driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, you have a legal right to compensation. Contact an experienced attorney at The Hoffmann Law Firm, L.L.C. for FREE legal advice 24/7 – Call (314) 361-4242.

Driving Under Influence: Alcohol & Prescription Drugs – St. Louis Attorney

September 29, 2017 By Christopher

Driving under influence is a major cause of deaths for the people in the age group of 15 to 29.

Driving under influence refers to operating a vehicle when the driver is impaired due to the influence of alcohol or drugs. A driver who is under the influence of drugs or alcohol cannot navigate traffic competently and safely. This can lead to severe road accidents and fatalities. A number of laws are in place to restrict drinking and driving.

Facts And Figures

Drivers who operate their vehicles under influence cause the maximum number of serious traffic accidents. Driving under influence or DUI is a major cause of deaths for the people in the age group of 15 to 29. Official records state that alcohol-related accidents cause damages worth $37 billion every year.

Driving Under Influence Tests

If an officer notices some external signs of driving under influence, like swerving, failure to signal, and erratic changes in speed they can stop the vehicle. They can question the driver and find out the cause for his impaired driving.

Officers can set up sobriety checkpoints where they can stop each vehicle and interview the driver to check if they are driving under influence.

They can also use the following tests.

The Blood Alcohol Content Test

This is the most common way of determining whether a person is driving under the influence of alcohol or not. The Blood Alcohol Test shows the amount of alcohol content in the driver’s blood. It shows how much alcohol the person has consumed but it does not indicate the extent to which the driver is impaired. A driver with BAC greater than .08 is presumed to be driving under influence.

Field Sobriety Tests

There is no BAC test to check the influence of drugs. So field sobriety tests are used for this purpose. They are a set of tests to assess the driver’s level of impairment.

The Horizontal Gaze Test – The driver is asked to follow an object, for example, a pen which is held near his face with his eyes. This is useful to assess the person’s reaction to an object and his eye movement.

The One-Leg Stand Test – In this test the driver is asked to stand on one leg. This helps to assess the person’s balance and synchronization.

The Walk and Turn Test – This test is used to gauge the person’s capacity to follow directions, perform physical and mental tasks simultaneously and to remember a set of steps. The goal of the test is to evaluate the driver’s level of coordination and mental alertness.

Other Tests

The Alphabet Test – The motorist has to recite all the alphabets or a part of them.

The Finger Count Test – In this the driver has to count his fingers.

The Finger to Nose Test – The driver is asked to tilt his head backwards, close his eyes and touch his nose with the index finger of his right and left hand one after the other.

Injured in a DUI crash?

Contact a competent St. Louis auto accident attorney as soon as possible. Call (314) 361-4242 for a FREE case evaluation.