Massachusetts grappling with growing problem of impaired driving: ‘100% preventable’

Federal figures shows that driving under the influence in Massachusetts is a growing complication The number of drivers under the influence of alcohol drugs or medication at the time of a fatal crash increased steadily from to in the Bay State according to AAA Northeast citing the latest available facts from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Over the four years the Commonwealth recorded total such incidents increasing from in to in according to records in the Fatality Analysis Reporting System Mary Kate DePamphilis plan director for the Massachusetts chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving says that one death is too countless because of impaired driving and fatality numbers don t consider the numerous others who have been injured various severely Dozens of society members gathered in Franklin on Thursday for a vigil in memory of the state s greater part up-to-date casualties of impaired driving -year-old girl Krisha Patel and her -year-old mother Minaben Patel Suspect James Blanchard of Franklin is accused of drinking Tito s Vodka straight out of a -liter bottle behind the wheel when he plowed a pickup truck head-on into a sedan driven by Atulkumar Patel Krisha s father and Minaben s husband the evening of May MADD is heartbroken over the Memorial Day crash that happened in Franklin DePamphilis notified the Herald An innocent child and her mother are no longer with us because of someone s careless decision to drink and drive Impaired driving crashes are preventable she added which makes this even more tragic Locally DePamphilis revealed her organization is working every day to prevent these senseless deaths in partnership with law enforcement by providing teaching in schools for children and parents while working on strengthening impaired driving bill Mothers Against Drunk Driving is also working diligently to advocate for the federal HALT Act bill that would mandate impaired driving prevention innovation in all new cars DePamphilis stated Reducing the number of impaired driving incidents in the Bay State is also the mission of traffic safety grants awarded through the state Office of Grants and Research This fiscal year the venture issued more than million in federal funding to nonprofits municipal police and state agencies to bolster safety for all users of the road Records provided to the Herald shows that the Massachusetts State Police conducted sobriety checkpoints and saturation patrols between December and September totaling hours of enforcement activity and issuing over citations and written warnings to drivers Every day we serve casualties of impaired driving free of charge DePamphilis declared of Mothers Against Drunk Driving We are there for families in their darkest days to help tackle through grief and the criminal justice system eventually getting to a place in their healing journey where they can cope I urge anyone who has been a victim of impaired driving to reach out to - -MADD-HELP Related Articles Massachusetts locality mourns deaths of mother daughter struck by alleged drunk driver Massachusetts mother of girl killed by alleged drunk driver in Franklin also dies Norfolk DA Massachusetts alleged drunken driver turns Franklin family s celebration into tragedy Young girl dies after alleged drunk driving crash in Franklin administration say Acton Police supervisor placed on leave over handling of retired cop OUI case Minaben Patel of Franklin with her daughter Krisha Both died from injuries suffered after being struck by an alleged drunk driver Courtesy SAFE Coalition