Charlotte Injury Lawyers Blog
Attorney Matthew R. Arnold answering the question: “If I am injured in a car accident or at work what should I do?”
A motorcyclist in North Carolina died earlier this month after being hit by a drunk driver. According to a local ABC News station, 52-year-old Bradley Pelletier of Raleigh died after he was hit by 25-year-old Lakeisha Jones.
Officers who responded to the accident scene say that Pelletier was heading north on Wake Forest Road just after midnight while Jones’ Chevrolet sedan was heading south. Police say that Jones then attempted to make a left turn onto Creekside Drive when she crashed directly into Pelletier’s motorcycle.
Police on the scene detected signs of intoxication and have since charged Jones with DWI. Officials say that in addition to driving while impaired, Jones and her two passengers were also not wearing their seatbelts at the time of the accident.
Our hearts go out to the family of Pelletier who did nothing wrong in the crash and yet paid the ultimate price for another person’s poor choices. The fact is that drinking and driving is deadly and that the more alcohol that a person consumes the more likely it is that he or she will be involved in accident.
Studies have definitively shown that a driver with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.10 or greater is seven times more likely to be involved in a fatal motor vehicle crash than is a driver who has not consumed alcoholic beverages, and a driver with an alcohol concentration of 0.15 or greater is about 25 times more likely.
The reason is that drinking leads to slowed reaction times, trouble concentrating as well as coordination problems. When a person is driving they need to focus all their attention on the road in front of them, but when a person is intoxicated they are simply unable to do so.
Accidents like this one make it clear why drunk driving is the focus of so much attention by law enforcement officials. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, around 10,000 people are killed very year across the United States in drunk driving accidents, representing approximately one-third of the total traffic fatalities each year. What’s heartbreaking about these accidents is just how easily they could be prevented. Simply selecting a designated driver or calling a cab could avoid families having to suffer the devastation of losing a family member.
If you, or someone you know, have any questions regarding personal injury claims, please feel free to contact the experienced personal injury attorneys and lawyers in Charlotte, North Carolina at Arnold & Smith, PLLC for a free consultation. Call at 704-370-2828.
About the Author:
Matthew Arnold is a Managing Member with Arnold & Smith, PLLC where he focuses his practice on Personal Injury, Family Law and Business Litigation. Mr. Arnold began his career handling insurance defense litigation for several major insurance companies. He also went on to handle business litigation cases and high value mortgage fraud cases, primarily in Superior Court.
Mr. Arnold grew up in Charlotte, graduating from Providence Senior High School and continued his education at Belmont Abbey College on a basketball scholarship. After graduating cum laude he attended law school at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill on a full academic scholarship. In his spare time, Mr. Arnold enjoys golfing and spending time on the North Carolina Coast with his wife and three young children: two daughters and one son.
Source:
“Driver charged with DWI in fatal motorcycle crash, “ published at WTVD.com.
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