In a report that surprises no one living in the state, Allstate named two cities in Massachusetts as the worst for driving. Newsday reports that Boston was the second most accident-prone city in the nation in 2012. The insurance company explains that drivers in large cities must contend with unique problems related to population density such as more pedestrians and worse rush-hour traffic. Bostonians must also deal with a high rate of drunk and distracted drivers.
These factors have led to a high number of crashes and a high percentage of injuries. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there were 108,379 car accidents in Massachusetts in 2012. That number represents an increase of 1,000 accidents over the previous year. Those crashes caused a total of 4,384 serious injuries and 349 deaths.
Police Arrest School-Bus Driver for Driving Under the Influence
Drunk driving is a serious and growing problem in our country, and the issue is spreading into many areas of society. FOX News reports that a bus driver faces DUI charges after allegedly driving children to school while intoxicated. What’s most frightening is the driver may not have been caught if not for the fact that an officer happened to notice a slight driving problem.
The officer said he witnessed the driver, Tammy Costello, swerve onto the shoulder of the road. The officer decided to follow the bus. At the school, children told the officer that Costello had been driving recklessly and struck several curbs while taking turns. He interviewed Costello and asked her to perform several sobriety tests. She failed all of the tests, and a blood test measured her blood-alcohol level at .134 percent. The legal limit while driving a commercial vehicle is .04 percent.
Every year, drunk drivers injure thousands of innocent motorists and pedestrians. Those victims are left to suffer the consequences, and they may find it difficult to secure the compensation they need to pay for medical treatment and to replace lost wages at work.
If you’ve been injured by a drunk driver and are looking for a Boston personal injury attorney to help you find compensation, call us. At Colucci, Colucci & Marcus, P.C., we offer free consultations to negligent driving victims. To learn more, call (617) 698-6000.
Costello Faces More Than 20 Charges
She faces one count of “risk of injury to a minor” for every child on her bus. She also faces a DUI charge. Both the school and the bus company have issued statements condemning Costello’s behavior and assuring parents they are cooperating with police. Everyone involved is thankful police caught her before she caused an accident and injured the children on her bus.
If you are looking for a reliable firm to handle your personal injury lawsuit, let us help. We can arrange a consultation with an experienced personal injury lawyer. Just call (617) 698-6000.
