A driver impaired by substances caused an accident on I-275 in Manatee County that resulted in a dramatic fire on the interstate, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
At the time of the accident, a 28-year-old woman from Tampa was heading north on the highway at mile marker 3, attempting to negotiate a curve left in the inside lane. Meanwhile, a fuel tanker truck was heading north in the outside lane.
While going around the curve, the driver of the sedan failed to stay in her lane, running into the tanker truck’s left rear drive axle. This resulted in the truck going off the roadway. It ultimately came to a rest in the east shoulder. The sedan also went off the road, where it flipped over and struck a cable barrier before ending up in the median, where it burst into flames.
Miraculously, the driver of the sedan only sustained minor injuries, and was extracted from the vehicle. She was arrested for driving under the influence. The driver of the fuel tanker did not sustain any injuries.
Driving under the influence and accident liability
A person who sustains injuries in an auto accident must be able to prove liability on the part of the other driver if they are to recover compensation for the damages they suffered. In a case involving a drunk driver or a driver under the influence of drugs, this process becomes much simpler. A conviction of driving under the influence essentially serves as an automatic proof of liability on that driver’s part.
Drivers who cause accidents while under the influence of substances don’t just face criminal penalties—they also face elevated civil penalties, including fines and judgments.
For more information about the steps you should take if you or a loved one have been injured in an accident caused by a drunk driver, contact an experienced Bradenton, FL personal injury lawyer at Goldman, Babboni, Fernandez & Walsh.