A tragic single-vehicle accident in Albuquerque earlier this summer resulted in the death of two passengers, a 30-year-old woman and a 1½-year-old baby, and severely injured the driver’s 10-year-old child. The driver of the car, a 41-year-old, was treated at the hospital for minor injuries and booked into an Albuquerque jail in the early morning of July 27 on charges of vehicular homicide. CBS partner KRQE reported that police believe that both alcohol and speed were factors in the saddening crash, and the driver of the car could face serious jail time if convicted of the charges against him.
Drunk Driving Endangers More than Only the Drunk Driver
This accident demonstrates the unfortunate reality that New Mexico drunk drivers are not only putting themselves at risk when they get behind the wheel, but also other people on the road as well as any passengers in their vehicles. Perhaps the most tragic part of this accident is that one of the children of the suspected drunk driver is now dead and another seriously injured as a result of his alleged conduct. These children were too young to decide for themselves whether it was safe to be on the road with their father driving, and it appears that he was not in a position to make the right decision that night either.
Drunk and Impaired Driving Laws in New Mexico
The New Mexico state legislature has passed laws against drunk driving in an attempt to reduce the number of New Mexico drunk driving injuries and deaths on the roads. If a driver is in control of a vehicle with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08% or higher, he or she is considered to be driving under the influence of alcohol.
Persons found driving under the influence are subject to criminal and civil penalties, and they can be punished harshly for their conduct. Depending on the weight and metabolism of the drinker, as well as the time that has elapsed since the drinking occurred, a .08% BAC can be reached by drinking between one and three average-sized drinks.
Most drivers found guilty of drunk driving have a BAC of well over the .08% threshold, so it is safest for a driver not to get behind the wheel if he or she has done any drinking, especially when there are passengers in the car.
Civil Liability for Drunk Driving Accidents
If a driver causes an accident resulting in injury or death, he or she can be held liable by the victim or victims for the damage caused by filing a New Mexico personal injury lawsuit. It is possible for a drunk driver to be held responsible for all of the costs associated with recovering from an accident for which he or she is responsible, including medical bills, funeral costs, pain and suffering, loss of wages, permanent disability, and loss of companionship, as well as the legal fees and costs that are expended to bring the suit. Victims of drunk driving can never be made completely whole after a tragic accident, but a well-executed New Mexico DUI lawsuit can help.
Do You Need an Attorney?
If you or a loved one has been injured or killed in an accident, and you suspect that alcohol or drugs may have been involved, the New Mexico personal injury attorneys at The Fine Law Firm want to try and help you hold the responsible parties accountable for the damages that you have suffered. Our experienced attorneys know how to win DUI accident cases, and we make sure that our clients are not kept in the dark about the status of their cases. If you have suffered from someone else’s bad decision, don’t just take it as bad luck. Hire The Fine Law Firm to handle your case today and get the compensation that you deserve. Contact us through our website or call (585)889-3463 to arrange a free consultation today.
More Blog Posts:
Bicyclist Hit and Seriously Injured By Garbage Truck in Albuquerque Last Month, New Mexico Truck Accident Lawyer Blog, July 7, 2014.
Fallen Stop Sign Leads Woman to Drive into Intersection and Collide with Semi-Truck, Killing Her Instantly, New Mexico Truck Accident Lawyer Blog, July 28, 2014.