North Carolina Among the States Penalized for Inadequate Drunk Driving Laws
North Carolina was recently penalized by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) for being one of 33 states with drunk driving laws that do not meet federal standards. As a result of legislation enacted by the Obama Administration, North Carolina was penalized for failing to comply with mandates aimed at decreasing the occurrences of drunk driving.
According to the DOT’s findings, North Carolina’s laws are too lenient and therefore do not comply with the recently changed federal requirements pertaining to drunk driving.
North Carolina to Strengthen Drunk Driving Laws
Given its recent penalty by the federal government, the state of North Carolina is in the process of making changes to adapt to the new federal regulations. According to a spokeswoman for the state legislature, some senators are urging the passage of a bill that will bring the state’s laws into federal compliance before October 1.
To ensure conformity with federal law, North Carolina must eliminate several of its current provisions pertaining to drunk driving offenses. For instance, the state must eliminate its current exemptions that allow repeat drunk driver offenders to avoid certain sanctions, such as the installation of an ignition interlock device on their vehicles. Moreover, the state must alter its requirements in order to prohibit the possession of open containers of alcohol in the passenger area of mopeds and even dealer’s vehicles.
In addition to changing some of North Carolina’s drunk driving laws, individuals who drive drunk must be held responsible for their actions.
Holding Drunk Drivers Accountable
The repercussions of drunk drivers’ actions may depend on several different factors, such as the severity of the accident and/or injuries caused by the driver’s actions. Persons who choose to drink and drive, and cause a motor vehicle accident must be held legally responsible for any property damages and personal injuries as a result of the collision.
Victims of a drunk driver may be able to bring a claim for compensation for their injuries. Bringing a suit against a drunk driver is an intricate process. In order to ensure the most favorable outcome for the injured party, careful attention must be made throughout the investigation process, as this will establish the cause of the accident.
Automobile accidents can have a detrimental affect not only on the injured party, but also on their family. Not only do accident victims incur enormous medical bills, but they may also be out of work due to their injuries.
An individual who has fallen victim to a drunk driver should contact an experienced personal injury attorney to help protect the injured party’s rights and hold the responsible party accountable for his or her actions.
At Warren & Kallianos, we believe in the importance of working directly with our attorneys, Jeff Warren and Chris Kallianos. When you work with our firm, Jeff and Chris are always accessible to you throughout the progress of your case.
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