State police have responded to hundreds of vehicle collisions over the four-day New Year’s holiday. Of the almost 500 incidents reported in Connecticut over the holiday, only two were fatal accident reports. This number is up over last year’s recorded numbers, underscoring that the holidays can be a treacherous time for individuals to be on the roads.
Police announced the numbers Tuesday, Jan. 2, reporting a total of 494 accidents. The enforcement period range from 12:01 a.m. on Friday, Dec. 29 and ran until 11:59 p.m on Monday, Jan. 2. Some 54 accidents resulted in an injury of some kind, including the two fatal accidents, one of which occurred in the town of Trumbull and the other in the town of Glastonbury.
Last year’s numbers only reached 276 accidents, and also included two fatal accidents that took a total of three lives. Many people were also arrested for driving under the influence during this time, a total of 28, which is somewhat lower than the DWI numbers for last year. Speeding citations dropped slightly, with 611 citations being handed out during the holiday enforcement period. Seven hundred and five citations were reported for the state at this time last year.
Every year, consistently, authorities expect drunk drivers and unsafe drivers on the roads during peak times. It is a tragedy when an innocent person loses his or her life in a fatal accident because of the irresponsible actions of another person. In those cases, one avenue of recourse for the surviving family of a deceased accident victim is taking the individual to court to pursue a claim for monetary damages. Many people in Connecticut choose to do so with the help of an experienced attorney to guide them.
Source: U.S. News & World Report, “State Police Respond to Almost 500 Accidents During Holiday“, Jan. 2, 2018
