According to Connecticut State police, there were 268 reported Connecticut car accidents during New Year’s weekend. This number is a 25 percent increase from last year, which saw 214 accidents. Furthermore, unlike last year, there was one fatal car accident – a man and woman from Rhode Island were killed in an I-95 accident.
While car accidents were up, arrests were down. According to the Connecticut police, there were 44 drunk driving arrests this year, down from 61 last year, and approximately 1,100 speeding tickets.
The police department has not released how many of the accidents were caused by drunk driving or cell phone use while driving. As discussed in an earlier post, Connecticut police increased DUI enforcement during the entire holiday season through its Operation S.A.N.T.A. (Stop Another Needless Tragic Accident). The decrease in DUI arrests may mean that individuals heeded the police’s warning.
Injured in a New Year’s accident?
Were you injured in a New Year’s car accident in Connecticut? Was your accident caused by the careless action of another driver? You may be able to recover compensation for your medical bills, pain and suffering, lost income and other damages through a personal injury lawsuit.
As a Fairfield personal injury lawyer, I have seen it all – from rear-end accidents caused by distracted driving to accidents caused by drunk drivers who made the reckless and dangerous choice to drive home after having “one too many.” We can only hope that the 25 percent increase doesn’t stick through the rest of the year and that people make the choice to drive safely on Connecticut’s roads.