Holidays and Drunk Driving Accidents

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The Christmas season is the time to see friends and family, plan the visits you don’t have time for throughout the year, and make memories that last forever. Unfortunately, the combination of traveling and celebrating means that impaired driving is a big problem during the holiday season. Even if you drive safely and stay sober, you could be at risk of a drunk driving accident as you celebrate the holidays.

If you or someone you love is hurt in an impaired driving accident, don’t wait any longer to get the legal support you deserve. Call Reeves & Mestayer at 228-300-2754 to set up a meeting with one of our personal injury attorneys.

Drunk Driving is a Huge Issue on American Roads

It’s no secret that impaired driving is a significant issue in the United States. This country’s impaired driving rates soar above those found in other similarly developed nations, even with educational and public health efforts to convince people to do the right thing. As a result, even on a normal day, you are at risk of being hit by a drunk driver while going about your business.

This risk only increases during the holiday season. Whether you’re planning on traveling out of state to see loved ones or staying close to home, you must be on high alert.

Holidays Are a Bad Time to Be on the Road

Why are impaired driving accidents such a common problem during the holiday season? Consider this: everyone is driving more than they do throughout the rest of the year, so the roads are already more dangerous. People are getting together with close friends and family, which often means having a few drinks to celebrate and unwind.

Unfortunately, people don’t always make safe driving plans when they do decide to drink. Even with the availability of taxis and rideshare services, a shocking number of people decide to take their chances and get behind the wheel of a car.

MoneyGeek reports that all major holidays in the United States put you at greater risk of a drunk driving accident. The most dangerous holiday for a DUI is New Year’s Eve. The risk of being involved in a fatal drunk driving accident is 116% above the seasonal average on this day. Following that, the Fourth of July, Thanksgiving, and Labor Day are also especially dangerous.

How to Protect Yourself During the Holiday Season

While you can’t control how other people drive, you can be proactive about your approach to holiday safety. First, commit to staying sober whenever you have to drive. If you aren’t sure how you’ll get home after a night out, either skip the drinks entirely or put a plan into place before you have your first drink. If you’re sober, you’ll be in a better position to avoid an erratic impaired driver if you encounter them on the road.

You should also be careful about where you go during the holiday season and when you’re on the road. If there’s a part of your town known for its bars and clubs, make sure you’re home before the nightlife really gets started for the evening. As the night progresses, there will be more and more impaired drivers trying to find their way home. This is particularly important on weekends, which is when drunk driving crashes tend to spike.

If you are going out during a dangerous time, consider skipping out on driving completely. Rideshare services are relatively cheap, giving you an easy way to get to the bar and a simple way to get home. Plan ahead, though, if you plan on using a rideshare service on New Year’s Eve or another busy night. Demand drives prices through the roof on these nights.

Hold your friends and family members accountable this holiday season. If you know someone is planning to drive themselves home and you see them drinking more than they should, don’t be afraid to take them to the side and ask about their plans. Keeping impaired drivers off of the road makes everyone safer.

Choose Reeves & Mestayer for Your Car Accident Claim

Decreasing impaired driving is everyone’s job. By keeping yourself safe, limiting your road time during the holidays, and calling out those who plan on driving unsafely, you can protect yourself and your loved ones. If you are hurt in a holiday crash, we’re here to help. Call us at 228-300-2754 or get in touch online.

The Importance of the Accident Reconstruction Specialist for Your Case

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Depending on the circumstances of your car accident and how much money is at stake, your attorney may call in a number of experts and specialists to support your claim. One of the specialists that may weigh in on your claim is an accident reconstruction specialist. Their advanced knowledge in car crash investigations and car crash physics makes them a huge asset to complicated cases.

Wondering what type of evidence you’ll need to get the compensation you deserve? We’re ready to take a look at your case and make a plan. Call Reeves & Mestayer at 228-300-2754 to schedule a meeting with our team.

How Much Do You Know About What Happened in Your Crash?
To understand the value of an accident reconstruction specialist, think about what you really know about your crash. You remember the moment of impact and perhaps the moments immediately before, but do you know what the other driver was doing on the road?

Do you know if they took any evasive action? When you look at the accident as a whole, there’s really only so much you can know. An accident reconstruction specialist can fill in the gaps, especially if the other driver claims not to know what happened or presents a claim that doesn’t make sense.

What Happens When Your Stories Don’t Match Up

Something that can make car accident cases complicated is conflicting stories. You give your side of the story and the other driver gives theirs. However, they’re so different that both cannot possibly be true. Without eyewitness testimony or clear video or photo evidence, it’s hard to know who’s telling the truth. In turn, it’s hard to know who is liable.

This is obviously different from a more simple type of car accident claim. For example, a run-of-the-mill rear-end crash doesn’t usually require special insight or analysis. Simply by looking at the crash scene and the damage to both vehicles, it’s easy to see what happened.

An accident reconstruction specialist can shine a light on more complex cases.

How an Accident Reconstruction Specialist Can Provide Insight

Accident reconstruction specialists have a large body of experience and knowledge that can make even the most complicated car accident claims easy to understand. They generally come from a professional background in criminal justice, law enforcement, crash investigation, or insurance claims. In some cases, they have worked in multiple related areas to deepen their understanding of this field. Additional post-graduate work in an accident investigation is also useful.

You’ll want to look for an accident reconstruction specialist whose insight will be trusted by a jury. If the specialist you choose has a spotty history of success with multiple analyses later proven to be untrue, their words will be useless to a jury—even worse, their claims may actually hurt your case.

Ideally, the specialist you choose will provide in-depth details about the crash in a way that laypeople can understand. They should also be able to use available evidence and their own diagrams to provide clarity.

Getting the Compensation That You Deserve

With the assistance of an accident reconstruction specialist, you may be able to secure fair and full compensation for your accident. Remember, most accident claims are settled out of court—this helps both parties save the expense of court and save time. If this is the case for you, the use of an accident reconstruction specialist may be enough to show the other party that they are in a losing position.

If your case does go to court, an accident reconstruction specialist may be even more useful. The work of an accident reconstruction specialist can convince a jury and sway things in your favor.

As is the case with any personal injury claim, it’s important to listen to the advice of your personal injury lawyer. A reconstruction specialist is not necessary for every claim, so follow your attorney’s guidance.

Reach Out to the Team at Reeves & Mestayer Now

Have you been injured in a car accident? It’s time to figure out what happened and plan your next steps. With Reeves & Mestayer, you can feel confident that your claim is in skilled hands. Call us at 228-300-2754 or reach out online to schedule a meeting right away.

What Do Electronic Logging Devices Mean for Your Truck Accident Claim?

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After a truck accident, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. Between property damage and bodily injuries, you’re likely on the hook for tens of thousands of dollars. However, if the crash was the result of someone else’s negligence, you may have options. With evidence from the crash scene and information from the truck’s electronic logging device, you can fight for the compensation you deserve.

Ready to start your truck accident claim? Call Reeves & Mestayer at 228-300-2754 to set up a consultation with one of our Biloxi truck accident lawyers.

Why Are Trucks So Heavily Monitored?

To start, it’s important to know that tractor-trailers are required to have electronic logging devices. There’s a good reason for this—truck drivers must follow strict federal regulations that govern how long they can drive without a break, how long breaks must be between long driving stretches, and how long a work week can be. This is to minimize the likelihood of accidents caused by fatigued or distracted driving.

However, in the past, trucks used paper logbooks to track this data and prove that drivers were in compliance with these regulations. Those logbooks were very easy to falsify, resulting in far more dangerous roads for drivers. The FMCSA took action and began requiring that all tractor-trailers use electronic logging devices. This makes it must harder for drivers to exceed daily and weekly limits.

Data Included on Electronic Logging Devices

There are many different ELD models available, so a lot depends on which type of truck was involved in your collision. However, many electronic logging devices include information like:

  • GPS location
  • Drive time
  • Hours of service
  • Record of duty status
  • Fuel efficiency
  • Idling time
  • Mileage
  • Fault codes
  • Diagnostic issues
  • Harsh braking
  • Collisions

Obviously, this information can be very useful when it comes to investigating a crash and determining who is at fault. Take note, though—you cannot just access the electronic logging device and its contents so you can pick through it. You will need an attorney who can make full use of the information they find.

One of the biggest red flags is an hours of service violation. If a review of the electronic logging device shows that the driver drove too long without a break, exceeded their permitted weekly or daily hours, or otherwise ignored FMCSA regulations, it’s possible that they were driving while fatigued or overworked.

Depending on whether they did that independently or at the coercion of their employer, they or their employer may be at fault for the accident. Not only could this help your personal injury claim, but it could also lead to fines or citations for violating FMCSA regulations.

How Your Attorney Can Use That Information

A strong truck accident attorney can help you make the most of the data found on the truck’s ELD. First, they’ll have a general understanding of your accident and how it happened. This gives them a starting point when it comes to determining what happened and who is at fault. By combining this information with crash scene photos, your retelling of what happened, and other evidence, your attorney will be able to put together a case that advocates for fair compensation.

It’s important to move quickly once you’ve been in an accident. A truck collision has far more involved parties than a conventional passenger vehicle crash, and you can bet that all of those individuals will start their investigations as soon as possible. You need someone who will advocate for you and act in your best interests.

In some cases, the information from the electronic logging device may not be necessary. If the accident is very cut-and-dry, it may be obvious what happened. In this case, the insurance company may be in a rush to settle in order to avoid additional expenses or delays.

Get the Help You Need with Reeves & Mestayer The sooner you reach out to the team at Reeves & Mestayer, the sooner we can start working on your personal injury claim. To find out more about how we can support you through this process—call us at 228-300-2754 or send us a message online to get starte