A Palm Beach County car accident early Sunday involving a suspected drunk has claimed the life of Khonil Louis, a 10-year-old Loxahatchee girl. Police say that Louis died from a severe neck injury.
According to deputies from the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, Louis was riding in the backseat of a 2004 Honda when the vehicle she was in collided with a Ford F-250 pickup truck that was stopped. Deputies believe that the truck’s driver, West Palm Beach resident Mark William Bradley, may have been driving under the influence of alcohol. It is not clear whether Louis was wearing a seat belt at the time of the South Florida auto collision.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, last year, alcohol was a factor in 770 of the 2,558 Florida traffic fatalities that occurred. Most drunk driving accidents that have happened could have been prevented if only motorists involved hadn’t been driving while inebriated.
In another recent South Florida traffic crash involving an alleged drunk driver, police say that alcohol was a factor in the Ft. Lauderdale motorcycle accident that claimed the life of Miami Heat Dancer Nancy Lopez. The 22-year-old died instantly when the motorbike she was riding was rear-ended by a Mercedes.
CBS4.com reports that the Mercedes’ driver, Mario Careaga, admitted to the police on the night of the Broward County, Florida traffic accident that he had consumed two vodka drinks. One cop noted that Careaga’s breath smelled of alcohol, his speech was slurred and his eyes were bloodshot. An investigation is ongoing.
Drunk driving can blur a motorist’s vision, impair perception, slow reflexes, fog the mind, cloud judgment, impact balance, and generally make it harder for the driver to detect danger, avoid becoming involved in a crash, or in some cases even realize that an accident is about to or has happened.
Girl killed in Palm Beach County crash, Orlando Sentinel, October 10, 2010
Miami Heat Dancer Killed in Motorcycle Crash, Miami NewTimes Blogs
Highlights of 2009 Motor Vehicle Crashes, Traffic Safety Facts (PDF)
Related Web Resources:
Mothers Against Drunk Driving
Florida Traffic Laws, DMV Florida
Drunk driving is negligent driving. Do not hesitate to contact our West Palm Beach car accident law firm immediately to discuss your case.