Earlier this month, an article by the local Baltimore CBS affiliate was published, indicating that over one weekend in June there were over 80 DUI or DUI-related arrests across the State of Maryland. According to the article, a large percentage of those DUI arrests involved drivers with a blood-alcohol content (BAC) of .16 or more, which is twice the legal limit for safe driving in Maryland.
Drunk driving has become such a problem in Maryland that the state police have created a task force, called the State Police Impaired Driving Reduction Effort (SPIDRE) Team. Of the 80 arrests across the State, 13 were made by the SPIDRE team. According to one member of SPIDRE, “Most of the people that we’re coming in contact with now, it’s not the people that get 1 or 2 drinks at dinner, it’s people that this is what they do, this is what they like to do,” referring to driving after consuming several drinks.
In fact, the average blood-alcohol content for a SPIDRE arrest is .17, which is well over the .08 legal limit. According to the CBS article, this is approximately seven or eight drinks for an average-sized man or approximately five drinks for an average-sized woman.
Drunk Driving Laws in Maryland
As noted above, the legal limit for the percentage of alcohol in a driver’s blood in Maryland is .08. Any time the operator of a motor vehicle is found to have a BAC of greater than that, they may be held in violation of Maryland’s drunk driving statute and charged criminally.
Financial Recovery After a DUI Accident
Drunk drivers often cause accidents. The victims of those accidents may want the opportunity to seek monetary compensation for the injuries they sustained as a result of the drunk driver’s negligent conduct. In Maryland, this is permitted through a negligence lawsuit, which is separate and apart from a criminal charge of DUI.
In a civil case alleging injury by DUI, there does not necessarily need to be evidence that the at-fault driver had a BAC of .08 or greater in order to establish liability. While such evidence may help a plaintiff prove their case, it is by no means a requirement. This is because a driver can still be found to be negligent for driving under the influence of alcohol even though he or she is not above the legal limit. To learn more about the nuances of the drunk driving laws in Maryland, contact a dedicated Maryland personal injury attorney.
Have You Been Injured in a Maryland DUI Accident?
If you or a loved one has recently been seriously injured in a Maryland DUI accident, you may be entitled to monetary compensation. The skilled advocates at the Maryland personal injury law firm of Lebowitz & Mzhen Personal Injury Lawyers, have decades of experience bringing claims against drunk and otherwise negligent drivers. To learn more, and to speak with an attorney about your case, call 410-654-3600 today to set up a free consultation.
More Blog Posts:
Mother of Child Born with Cerebral Palsy Claims Doctor Was Negligent, Maryland Accident Law Blog, May 11, 2015.
Maryland Woman’s Medical Malpractice Claims Dismissed After Missing Statute of Limitations, Maryland Accident Law Blog, June 8, 2015.