Retired National Football League star Lawrence Taylor was arrested in early September for suspicion of driving under the influence (DUI) after a Palm Beach Gardens accident in which he reportedly side-swiped a police vehicle and struck a motor home.
Taylor was arrested immediately after the crash. This was not the first time he has found himself in legal trouble after a car accident, as he has twice been charged with leaving the scene of an accident — most recently in Florida back in 2009.
In Florida, like all other states in the nation, it is illegal to operate a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol content (BAC) level of .08 percent or higher. According to 2014 statistics from advocacy organization Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), about 27.5 percent of all fatal accidents in Florida involved an intoxicated driver. The state also saw more than 40,000 DUI arrests that year, with 26,291 convictions.
When people decide to get behind the wheel of a vehicle after consuming large amounts of alcohol, they endanger the lives of everyone on Florida’s roads and highways. Intoxicated motorists tend to drive recklessly and have delayed reaction times, and they are about seven times more likely to cause a crash than sober drivers. Those who have consumed drugs or alcohol have a responsibility to refrain from driving until it is completely safe for them to do so.
If you or a loved one has been involved in a Florida car accident you believe was caused by a drunk driver, consult a skilled Jacksonville personal injury attorney as soon as possible.
Attorney Mark Link contributed to this post.