A Central Florida car accident that occurred on April 19 is serving as a reminder of the dangers of drugged driving.
According to the Orlando Sentinel, the crash occurred near a gas station on West Oak Ridge Road in Orange County, when a 56-year-old grandmother allegedly had a heroin overdose. The newspaper reported that the grandmother drove her vehicle into trees near the gas station, along with her 29-year-old daughter and her baby in the car.
Emergency officials responding to the incident reportedly found the grandmother hunched over in her vehicle and performed CPR. The grandmother responded to the treatment and was given a heroin antidote as workers suspected that she overdosed.
The reason firefighters suspected that the grandmother overdosed is because they also found the mother unconscious in the front seat of the vehicle with a syringe in her hand. Both women were transported to local hospitals for injury treatment and later charged with child neglect.
Additionally, the grandmother was charged with driving under the influence. The child involved in the incident was unharmed and placed in foster care. No other vehicles were involved in the accident.
The Sentinel reported that in 2014, there were 89 heroin deaths in Orange and Osceola counties — up from 49 in 2013. This leads us to believe that instances of drugged driving are probably also on the rise.
The Dangers of Drugged Driving
As we reported in a previous blog, drugged driving is incredibly dangerous. The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) defines this activity as driving a vehicle while “affected by alcohol and/or other drugs, including prescription drugs, over-the-counter medicines, or illicit substances.”
These substances can hinder a driver’s judgment, motor skills, perception and memory. Sadly, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that one in eight weekend drivers at night would test positive for illicit drugs if examined by authorities.
Continue to follow our blog for more information about vehicle accidents in Central Florida.
If you or your loved one has a drug addiction, seek assistance. Aside from criminal charges, he or she could be held civilly liable for any accident caused while under the influence of drugs.
If a drunk or drugged driver has affected you, we can investigate your claim and potentially decide the best way to move forward with litigation. Our Orlando injury attorneys tenaciously represent victims of reckless drivers.