Tag: stop drunk driving

MADD “Tie One On For Safety” Campaign Reminds Us to Drive Sober During The Holiday Season

Posted on by YostLaw

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the MADD “Tie One On for Safety” campaign. This public awareness campaign focuses on the importance of preventing drunk driving during the holiday season.

Thousands of innocent lives are tragically lost every year due to drunk drivers. Sadly, the holiday season is no exception. The rate of impaired driving increases greatly between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve. The U.S National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism reported that 40% of all traffic-related deaths during Christmas and New Year’s Eve involved drunk drivers.

If you are placed in a situation this holiday season where a friend, family member, or even a stranger is trying to get behind the wheel after a few too many drinks, MADD provides the following tips to help prevent a dangerous situation:

  • Suggest an alternative. Recommend the person call a cab, ride with a sober driver or take public transportation.
  • Have a buddy by your side. It’s more difficult to say “no” to two or three people versus one person.
  • Take the power away. The best way to prevent an impaired person from driving is taking their keys – this gives you leverage and makes it easier to persuade them against driving while under the influence.
  • Be conscious of how you sound. Remember this person is intoxicated – talk slowly and in a non-confrontational tone. Explain your reasoning in full detail.

Drunk driving is a serious public safety issue, but if we work together, we can help put an end to these preventable accidents during this holiday season.

To show your support for the “Tie One On for Safety” campaign, please order a MADD red ribbon through your local MADD affiliate to display on your car. This ribbon will serve as a reminder to other motorists to always practice safe and sober driving all year round.

If you or a loved one has been seriously injured in an accident involving a drunk driver, call The Yost Legal Group immediately at 1-800-YOST-LAW (967-8529) for a FREE, confidential consultation.

The attorneys at Yost Legal Group are experienced professionals ready to investigate your claim with compassion and determination. When you call, one of our experienced Baltimore Car Accident attorneys will investigate every detail of your situation at no cost to you and fight hard to protect your rights.

The Yost Legal Group – Experienced Attorneys Dedicated to Protecting Your Rights

Be Safe Celebrating St. Patrick’s Day

Posted on by YostLaw

On Thursday, 3/17 thousands of people in Baltimore will gather with friends and family to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. As with every holiday, many people will be out and about enjoying parades and festivities, and there will be a lot of drinking going on as well. So please, think about things. Plan ahead if you’re going to be drinking.

  1. Select a designated driver in your group
  2. Book a cab or car service in advance
  3. Call an Uber when you’re ready to go home
  4. Give yourself a drink limit and stick to it

We care about you, and about our community, and want to wish everyone a Happy and Healthy St. Patrick’s Day. And please be safe out there.

The Yost Legal Group – Experienced Attorneys Dedicated to Protecting Your Rights

Drive Safely This Holiday Season

Posted on by YostLaw

During the winter holidays, traffic volume is much higher than normal as families hit the road to visit friends and relatives. AAA estimates that nearly 95 million Americans will travel the roads during the holidays.

This high volume of drivers, combined with the multitude of festivities and potential distractions, increases the odds of being involved in a car accident caused by a drunk or distracted driver. The National Safety Council estimates that almost 30,000 Americans will be seriously injured in auto accidents during the holiday season.

The holidays are a wonderful opportunity to celebrate and reconnect with friends and loved ones, but please be extra cautious while traveling the roads this holiday season:

  • Drive Defensively: Drive the posted speed limit and do not tailgate other vehicles. Accidents caused by drunk drivers happen without warning, so keep a safe distance between your car and other vehicles on the road at all times. Also, keep an eye out for distracted drivers.
  • Don’t Drive Distracted: Distracted driving reduces your field of vision because it takes not just your hands and eyes off the road, but also your mind. Stay alert.
  • Plan Ahead: Put your cell phone in your bag, in your backseat, or give it to a passenger. If you are planning on consuming alcohol at a Holiday party or any other seasonal event, have a plan to get home safely. Plan a ride home from a designated driver, or call a taxi or car service in advance. Don’t leave this detail to the last minute!
  • NEVER Drink and Drive: Do not get behind the wheel to drive if you have had any alcoholic drinks. Drinking and driving endangers not only your life, but the lives of others. If you will be drinking, designate a driver, call a cab, or make other arrangements.

If you or a loved one were injured in a car accident that was not your fault, call The Yost Legal Group right away at 1-800-YOST-LAW (967-8529). When you call, you will speak with an experienced Baltimore Car Accident lawyer absolutely FREE. Our hardworking attorneys will investigate every detail of your accident and fight hard to protect your rights.

At The Yost Legal Group, you will never pay an attorney’s fee up front. We take all cases on a contingency fee basis, which means that you owe us nothing unless we recover for you. At The Yost Legal Group, we don’t get paid until you do.

The Yost Legal Group – Experienced Attorneys Dedicated to Protecting Your Rights

Helpful Halloween Safety Tips from The Yost Legal Group

Posted on by YostLaw

This Saturday is Halloween, and children and families all over Baltimore are preparing their scariest decorations and costumes. Unfortunately, statistics show that Halloween is one of the most dangerous times of the year for young pedestrians.

According to the Center for Disease Control, children are more than twice as likely to be hit by a car and killed on Halloween compared to any other day of the year. Data compiled by USA Today also found that on Halloween night between 1990 and 2010, there were a total of 115 pedestrians under the age of 18 killed in motor vehicle accidents.

Whether you are planning to go trick-or-treating with your children or attend a costume party with your friends, here are some important safety tips that everyone should keep in mind this weekend.

  • Remain Visible: 60% of fatal pedestrian accidents on Halloween were found to occur between the hours of 5 and 9pm. Low visibility combined with dark clothing and costumes can be a deadly combination. If your child is planning on wearing a dark costume and walking after dark, be sure to include reflective tape, lights, or other objects that can help alert motorists of their presence.
  • Stay on the Sidewalk: Pedestrians should always avoid walking in the street whenever possible. This is especially true on Halloween night when there is sure to be a high volume of both cars and pedestrians on the road. Walking on the sidewalk can greatly reduce your risk of being hit by a car.
  • Travel in Groups: There is safety in numbers. Traveling in groups is safer for both parents and children because it makes it easier for drivers to see you. If you are the parent of an older child that prefers to go out with their friends, make sure that they stay together and do not stray from the group.
  • Use the Crosswalk: Statistics show that only 30% of pedestrian accidents occur at designated crosswalks. That means that pedestrians face a far greater risk of being hit by a car when they cross in the middle of the street or away from designated crosswalks.
  • NEVER Drink and Drive: For adults looking to celebrate with friends and co-workers, there are sure to be plenty of Halloween parties to choose from this weekend. However, just like every other night of the year it is crucial that you remember to plan a way home ahead of time if you will be consuming alcohol.

The Yost Legal Group, Baltimore, Maryland Personal Injury law firm, reminds you to NEVER get behind the wheel of a car if you have had anything to drink. Maryland Police will be stepping up alcohol enforcement efforts this weekend to ensure that everyone enjoys Halloween safely and responsibly.

At The Yost Legal Group, we urge everyone to be safe this weekend, and make responsible decisions while celebrating Halloween.

If you or a loved one were injured in a traffic accident caused by an intoxicated, distracted or negligent driver, you may be entitled to compensation. Call The Yost Legal Group today at 1-800-YOST-LAW (967-8529) for a free consultation about your case.

When you call, an experienced Baltimore, Maryland Car Accident lawyer will speak with you for FREE, investigate the details of your case, and fight hard to ensure you receive the justice you deserve.

At The Yost Legal Group you will never pay an attorney’s fee up front. If we take your case, you owe us nothing unless we recover for you.

At The Yost Legal Group, we don’t get paid until you do.

The Yost Legal Group – Experienced Attorneys Dedicated to Protecting Your Rights

Maryland Police Make 80 DUI Arrests in Single Weekend

Posted on by YostLaw

This past weekend saw an absolutely staggering number of drivers arrested across Maryland for drunk and intoxicated driving. Maryland Police are reporting that a total of 80 motorists were arrested for DUI over the course of just one weekend. To make matters worse, a significant number of these incidents did not involve drivers that were just barely over the legal alcohol limit of .08, but rather were severely intoxicated. In many cases, drivers had Blood Alcohol Content readings of nearly twice the legal limit.

Fortunately, these drivers were mostly arrested and charged without incident, and no major accidents or fatal injuries took place. However, any one of these motorists could have easily caused a tragic situation in a matter of moments.

The most troubling incidents that took place over the weekend included one drunk driver that side-swiped a state trooper’s vehicle, completely removing the officer’s side view mirror. Another criminally reckless driver was observed traveling drunk at 94 miles an hour with a seven-year-old child in the back seat. A third motorist was caught driving while drunk twice within the span of only a few hours.

While these are isolated incidents, they are also indicative of a larger and more disturbing trend related to drunk driving. Despite the numerous and admirable programs targeted at preventing and ending the practice of drunk driving, it remains a very real issue in Maryland and across the U.S.

Some of the most recent statistics indicate that:

  • In 2013, the most recent year for which full data is available, there were a total of 142 alcohol-related fatalities in Maryland
  • 30.5% of all driving fatalities in Maryland were alcohol-related in 2013
  • The rate of highly-intoxicated drivers in Maryland, meaning drivers caught with BAC readings of .15 or over, was 71%
  • In 2013, the total number of Maryland drivers arrested for DUI was 14,793

Thirteen of the eighty arrests made over the weekend were initiated by the Maryland State Police S.P.I.D.R.E (State Police Impaired Driving Effort) Unit, a special group of State Troopers dedicated to targeting and removing drunk drivers from Maryland’s roads and highways. Founded in July of 2013, this unit focuses on running programs that reduce the amount of alcohol-related crashes in Baltimore.

At The Yost Legal Group, Baltimore Car Accident and Personal Injury law firm, we fully support the efforts of our State and Local Police, as well as organizations that actively work to reduce drunk drivers on our roads and highways. Our attorneys have represented far too many victims and families that had their lives adversely impacted by the negligent, selfish and reckless actions of drunk drivers. This behavior is criminal, and cannot be tolerated in any instance.

If you or a loved one was seriously injured in an accident caused by a drunk driver, call The Yost Legal Group today at 1-800-YOST-LAW (967-8529). When you call our law firm, you will receive a FREE, confidential and no-obligation consultation with one of our experienced Baltimore, Maryland Drunk Driving and Car Accident lawyers. Let the experienced legal team at The Yost Legal Group help provide the answers you seek.

The Yost Legal Group – Experienced Attorneys Dedicated to Protecting Your Rights

Police Officer’s Car Struck by Intoxicated Driver in Howard County

Posted on by YostLaw

For the second time in just over a week, Howard County Police are reporting that an Officer’s patrol car was struck by an intoxicated driver.

The most recent incident took place at around 10:30pm on Friday, March 6th on Washington Boulevard in Laurel, MD. According to the Police report, the Officer was traveling southbound when an intoxicated driver traveling in the opposite direction attempted to make a left-hand turn across several lanes of traffic. The driver failed to yield to oncoming traffic and struck the Officer’s car head-on. Thankfully, while the patrol car sustained some significant damage, the Officer was not seriously injured and the driver was arrested for DUI.

In another recent but unrelated incident, a separate Police Officer in Howard County also had their patrol car struck by a drunk driver in the early morning of Saturday, February 28th. In this case, the Officer had parked their vehicle on the shoulder of Old Columbia Pike to conduct a field sobriety test of another motorist. While administering the test, another car, also driven by an intoxicated driver, veered off the road and struck the parked patrol car. Fortunately, no one was hurt in this accident either, and both drivers involved were arrested and charged with DUI.

This flurry of Drunk Driving activity putting Maryland’s Police Officers in danger illustrates that no one is safe from the danger of intoxicated drivers.

Here are some disturbing statistics that show just how dangerous and widespread the Drunk Driving problem in the U.S has become:

  • According the Center for Disease Control, in 2012 nationwide, 10,322 people were killed in vehicle accidents that involved alcohol. This number accounted for 31% of all traffic-related casualties in the U.S.
  • Nationwide, motor vehicle accidents involving alcohol are estimated to cost the country roughly $37 billion every year.
  • In Maryland in 2012, there were 160 total fatalities in vehicle accidents involving alcohol.
  • In Maryland in 2012, there were a total of 16,769 arrests made for Driving Under the Influence.
  • Among Maryland drivers that were involved in fatal crashes with a Blood Alcohol Content of 0.15% or above, 75% were repeat offenders.

By getting behind the wheel and driving while impaired, drunk drivers put their lives and the lives of everyone around them at great risk. This is the most selfish and irresponsible behavior in which a motorist can engage, and at The Yost Legal Group, we want to help spread awareness about the problem so that we can put an end to Drunk Driving once and for all.

At The Yost Legal Group, we have seen first-hand the damage that Drunk Driving can cause for victims and their families. For this reason, we are dedicated to representing the rights of victims to the fullest, and will always fight to secure the maximum compensation to which our clients are entitled for their serious injuries.

If you or a loved one has been a victim of a drunk driver, you will need an experienced Maryland Drunk Driving attorney on your side. Call The Yost Legal Group today at 1-800-YOST-LAW (967-8529) for a FREE and confidential consultation. Our team of dedicated, compassionate and experienced attorneys will review the details of your case and will stand with you from the start of your claim through to the finish.

If you have been injured in an auto accident that was not your fault, don’t wait. Call today.

The Yost Legal Group – Experienced Lawyers Dedicated to Protecting Your Rights

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