Holidays are intuitively a more dangerous time to drive because there are more people on the road who may have been engaging in activities that impair their driving. During the holiday season, it is reported that crashes increase by 34 percent. There is also an increase in fatalities of 38 percent with a 34 percent increase in the severity of sustained injuries. The most common cause of this rise in fatal accidents is driving while intoxicated.
Sadly, this past holiday weekend, a man was killed in an alleged DUI crash in Bakersfield. The incident occurred at approximately 9:51 p.m. on the Fourth of July. A Chevrolet Silverado with two occupants was traveling southbound when the driver lost control of his vehicle. He then traveled onto the east side of the road and slammed into a dirt berm.
Unfortunately, neither of the occupants was wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash, and they were both ejected out of the vehicle. The driver, identified as 31-year-old Eli Valdovinos Jr., suffered moderate injuries while his 54-year-old passenger Michael Dempsey Eyler was pronounced dead at the scene.
Authorities later arrested Valdovinos Jr. on suspicion of driving under the influence.
You owe it to yourself, your family members, your friends, and even other drivers on the road to take the necessary precautions to drive safer during any holiday season. Although they are a time to celebrate with the people you care for, it can be very dangerous to take the road. Incidents like this one can be prevented, sparing many innocent lives if we all practice caution before driving.
The post One Man Killed, Another Arrested in DUI Crash over Holiday Weekend appeared first on Law Offices of Taylor and Taylor - DUI Central.