Last month a young man in Maryland plead guilty to criminally negligent manslaughter. The Maryland Gazette reports, based on the plea agreement, that Dale Kirk Audet crashed into a tree while going 70 miles per hour in a 20 mile per hour zone, killing two friends.
We have seen too many examples of people being killed in car accidents. In addition to our legal support of the victims, we offer some guidelines for staying safe on the roadway:
1. No Speeding
We should not let the prevalence of speeding blind us to its dangers. The faster a car goes, the longer it takes to slow it down and the harder the force of impact in the crash. The National Safety Council reports that speeding kills over 13,000 people each year. The speed limits are there for a reason — let’s follow them and set an example for our teens as well.
2. Avoid Distracted Driving
Numerous distractions can wrench a driver’s attention away from the road. Adjusting the radio, talking on the cell phone, texting while driving, managing children and even eating while driving present actual dangers to a person behind the wheel, and the other drivers on the road.
3. Avoid Driving While Fatigued
According to AAA, out of every six deadly crashes, one is caused by a drowsy driver. The effects of driving while drowsy are similar to those of driving under the influence of alcohol: Poor judgment, slower reaction time, decreased awareness of one’s surroundings. The important meeting that urges us to keep on driving is not nearly as important as a person’s life.
4. Buckle up
Both of the boys killed in the accident described above were not wearing their seatbelts. It takes only a few seconds to take the precaution that could save your life if you do get into an accident.
Drive safely — that is the best we can all do. But if you do get into an automobile accident, contact us for help.
