Traffic laws exist to keep drivers safe and secure. Each state has its own laws related to seat belt usage, so it’s prudent to be familiar with how the rules apply in your home state. In Connecticut, driving under the influence is a serious criminal offense. A driver can be arrested and charged with crimes related to driving under the influence of drugs, as well as alcohol.

The driver of a 2011 Hyundai Sonata involved in a double fatality crash in New Haven a few months ago was under the influence of Phencyclidine, an illegal drug also known as PCP. According to police, the driver was speeding at four times the legal limit.

The 27-year-old man’s car hit an embankment, went 80 feet into the air and then slammed into a steel canopy at a local gas station. The crash crushed the steel canopy. The driver survived the crash, but the front seat passenger and back seat passenger were killed in the motor vehicle accident.

Investigators determined that the driver was driving the car, which belonged to his girlfriend, at 98 mph before the crash. The posted speed limit in the area is 25 mph. Police also said that the man had smoked PCP earlier that day. The man’s license was also suspended at the time of the crash, police said.

Speeding in Connecticut is a serious offense. There is a great danger posed to others by driving faster than the law allows. In addition to the reduced reaction time, speeding poses a danger based on the difference between the speed of one car and the vehicles around it. The result, like in this case, can be a tragic car crash, serious injuries and death.

The man was charged with two counts of first-degree manslaughter, second-degree manslaughter and misconduct with a motor vehicle, as well as operating under the influence, operating under suspension and one count of reckless driving. The man was reported to have a long criminal record and was being held on a $250,000 bond.

If the actions of another individual operating an automobile or other motor vehicle are careless, reckless or negligent, that individual could be responsible for damages. A legal professional should coordinate a detailed investigation into the accident and then recommend the best course of legal action to take.

Source:  Wfsb.com, “PD: Driver in New Haven fatal crash was on PCP” Joseph Wenzel IV, Courtney Zieller, Sep. 18, 2013