Are Drivers Who are High Safer Than Those Who are Drunk?
As more states are legalizing the use of marijuana, the question has come up: “Is driving while high as dangerous as driving while drunk?” It is a valid question and one that certainly deserves an answer in light of the frequent drug usage throughout the country.
Recent studies have addressed this very issue by attempting to calculate the risk level of driving under the influence of drugs. The results indicate that drunk driving is still much more dangerous than driving while high. Even still, driving under the influence of drugs is by no means risk-free.
Can Texting and Driving Result in a Charge of Vehicular Homicide?
Vehicular homicide, also known as “vehicular manslaughter” occurs when a driver recklessly causes the death of another person while operating a motor vehicle. While people often think of vehicular manslaughter in the context of DWI cases, the charge has a much broader application and can certainly apply to people who unintentionally kill others as a result of texting while driving.
The death of an individual in a car accident case is not enough to convict someone of vehicular manslaughter. The state has to show a connection between the death and the conduct of the defendant; for example, if evidence from the defendant’s cell phone shows that he or she was texting just before the crash – this could be damaging against him or her.
What Should I Do if Involved in an Accident?
Were you injured in an auto accident? If so, you are not alone. According to the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), there were 65,539 serious injury crashes in Texas in 2013, with 89,270 people sustaining a serious injury, and 3,377 people losing their lives.
Data from TxDOT reveals that most accidents in Texas result from drunk driving, tailgating, and speeding, failing to yield, and running red lights or stop signs. You can be the best driver in the world, but no matter how responsible you are, you simply cannot control what other drivers do.
What to Do After a Hit & Run Accident in Texas
No one is ever prepared for an accident, let alone one where the other driver flees the scene. While it is a crime to knowingly leave the scene of an accident before exchanging information with the other driver, hit and run accidents continue to occur at an astounding rate throughout the country—which may be, in part, due to the fact that nearly 14% of all drivers in the United States are currently operating without automobile insurance. In other cases, an intoxicated driver may flee in the hope that they can avoid criminal charges. Whatever the case may be, however, the unfortunate reality is that the victim will be left with the daunting responsibility of securing compensation with no help from the at-fault driver.
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