oklahoma city car crash lawyer
Four Injured in Oklahoma DUI Accident
A 7-month old baby was among the injured victims of an Oklahoma car accident, which police report involved a drunk driver. According to a news report in The Tulsa World, the DUI collision occurred on Oklahoma 72 north of Checotah in McIntosh County. Oklahoma Highway Patrol reports that a 57-year-old man turned his 1989 Dodge pickup left in front of a 1996 Mercury Marquis carrying a 49-year-old man, a 48-year-old woman, and a 7-month-old child. The driver of the Marquis suffered severe injuries. The other occupants were treated and released from the hospital. Officials say the driver of the Dodge, who was also injured, may have been under the influence of alcohol.
It is illegal under Oklahoma law to operate with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08 percent or higher. It is illegal for anyone 21 years of age or older to driver a vehicle under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs. The state has a “zero tolerance policy” when it comes to underage drivers, which means that they can face charges even if trace amounts of alcohol are found in their blood. It is also illegal under Oklahoma law when a driver fails to yield the right-of-way to an oncoming vehicle.
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Oklahoma Updates Safety Laws for Vehicle Drivers
A number of updates for laws governing Oklahoma drivers went into action on the first day of November, including one called Aaron’s Law. This law deals with increased punishments for individuals found in violation of highway safety rules, set by the Oklahoma Highway Safety Office.
Aaron’s Law is named after Aaron Zents, a teenager who was killed by another driver who ran through a red light in 2009. Because of the tragedy, legislators (with pressure from Aaron’s family and friends, as well as local communities) have increased the punishments for persons convicted of reckless driving and/ or violations of traffic devices or signs. At the time of Aaron’s accident, the driver who ran the red light was charged and convicted of misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter, fined $800, and placed under house probation for a year. Now, the same kind of accident would most likely warrant a severe felony manslaughter charge, according to reporting by News OK.
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Four Injured in Oklahoma City Northwest Expressway Car Crash
A recent night-time auto accident on the Northwest Expressway and Sara Road resulted in the hospitalization of 4 people, 3 of them in critical condition, according to KFOR.com. A pick-up truck heading southbound on Sara Road stopped at the Northwest Expressway stop sign properly, but proceeded to pull out directly in front of a minivan that was traveling westbound on the Northwest Expressway, resulting in a violent crash. All passengers and drivers were injured, one even being ejected from the vehicle.
Although the speed limit on the Northwest Expressway has already been lowered to 55 mph, from 65 mph, multiple accidents continue to occur in the same manner. Vehicles at the stop signs do stop, but pull away without watching for oncoming traffic. The comparatively high speeds of oncoming expressway vehicles make an Oklahoma City auto accident injury inevitable, and potentially fatal. The results of such an accident can include expensive hospital and rehabilitation bills, as well as emotional suffering, for the victim and their family. If there is a responsible party, then they can be held liable for those costs and damages. If you or a loved one have been involved in an auto accident, it is important to seek the advice of a knowledgeable Oklahoma auto accident attorney.
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