Vehicle Poised on Top of Concrete Wall After Auburn DUI Crash
A driver suspected by police of driving under the influence of alcohol hit a concrete wall in a DUI crash in Auburn on December 12. The vehicle was thrown partially over the concrete structure, and representatives of the Auburn Police Department reported finding it positioned along the top of the wall with two wheels hanging in midair. The DUI crash happened at about 9:13 in the evening at the High Street and College Way intersection.
Details of DUI Crash
Toxicology was called to the scene to determine if the driver was intoxicated. Tests revealed that the driver’s blood registered well above the legal limit. Authorities arrested the driver at the scene.
How Drunk Driving Affects Everyone
Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs affects all of us, including the drunk driver. Even though driving drunk is a known cause of serious or fatal accidents, more drivers than ever are taking to the roads. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that someone dies on the nation’s roads every two minutes because of a drunk driver, and over 10,000 people die each year in a DUI accident.
The Effects of Driving Drunk
We all know the image of a drunk driver staggering in a roadside test. However, alcohol does a great deal more when an intoxicated driver takes to the road. For instance:
- Decreased cognitive ability: The ability to process information and make reasonable decisions is called cognition. Alcohol limits a person’s ability to make safe decisions and affects everyone on the road. By affecting the prefrontal cortex area of the brain, alcohol interferes with rational thought, and drivers do not think before acting as they normally would. This interferes with the many choices a driver makes to reach their destination safely.
- Reckless driving: Drunk drivers are apt to drive recklessly, something they normally would not do. This leads to changing lanes without notice, speeding, and running a red light or stop sign.
- Distraction: A drunk driver is easily distracted, so the chances that they would not notice another vehicle that slowed down ahead of them or stopped would be high. This usually leads to a rear-end collision.
- Slow reflexes: The drunk driver’s reflexes are slower than normal, so their reaction to a pedestrian in the road may be too slow to avoid an accident.
- Tracking disturbances: An inebriated driver will have difficulty discerning the position of their vehicle on the road.
- Vision alterations: A driver who has had too much to drink may experience blurred vision due to alcohol’s effect on the eye. Color perception and night vision can also be affected.
- Depressed coordination: The coordination of the eyes, hands, and feet is affected by drinking alcohol.
Liability in a DUI
Whether it is property damage or physical harm, a drunk driver is responsible for their negligent actions. It is important to document the driver’s actions to prove liability. Visual documentation is preferred, however, it is only available if a surveillance camera or a bystander captured the accident digitally. When our investigators arrive at the accident site, they check to see if either is available.
We also look for street marks, commonly called skid marks. If long skid marks are present at the scene, it indicates that the driver tried to stop before colliding with another object. However, if they are absent, it indicates the driver did not try to stop, something often seen in a DUI crash. Our experienced investigators also interview witnesses and review police reports for inaccuracies.
Auburn Personal Injury Attorneys
I’m Ed Smith, and I am a personal injury attorney in Auburn. If you have been injured by a drunk driver, call me at (530) 392-9400 or (800) 404-5400 for free and friendly advice. If it is more convenient for you, contact me online.
We helped many residents of Auburn and the surrounding area recover the compensation they deserve in all types of car accidents, pedestrian injuries, motorcycle crashes, and in wrongful death cases.
I am proud to be a member of the following organizations that choose members based on the merits of their law practice:
Learn more about my practice on the following pages:
Photo attribution: Image by Vladyslav Topyekha from Pixabay
:cd llo [727]