As Super Bowl Sunday approaches, New York State Police are cracking down in an effort to reduce drunk driving associated with the game. Reports from CBS 6 News say that police announced yesterday that they will be conducting their first campaign of the year against DUI offenses.

The agency says they will be conducting a number of sobriety checks this weekend in conjunction with heavy saturation patrols in targeted areas of the state.

While the dangers that an intoxicated driver faces from injury or death to themselves or another person should be enough to persuade someone to choose otherwise, the penalties if one is caught drinking and driving can be quite severe.

Leandra’s Law, which makes it a felony to drive drunk with anyone under the age of 16-years-old in the vehicle, makes New York state arguably one of the toughest on the stance against drunk driving. A first-time offender, with no minors in the car, will spend an average of around $10,000 on a DUI offense in the state and could face up to a year in jail, a six-month revocation of his or her driver’s license, and anywhere between $500-$1,000 in fines.

The New York Car Accident Lawyers with William Mattar Injury Lawyers ask that all motorists be safe over the coming weekend by not drinking and driving. Instead, designate a driver before drinking, or call a cab or sober friend.

With recent studies showing prescription drug overdose as the leading cause of death among young people in our country, two United States senators are proposing legislation that would invest in training to help law enforcement identify drugged drivers. According to CBS-6 News, the legislation is a response to a growing number of drugged driving incidents in the state of New York.

One of the resolutions supporters, Senator Charles Schumer (NY), says that drugged driving arrests across the state have risen by 35 percent in the last 10 years. Drugged driving has also claimed thousands of lives, most recently two boys killed in accidents where drugs were suspected to be a contributing factor.

The senator says that the money could be used for equipment, as well as for training officers on what to look for, as drugged drivers may act very differently than someone under the influence of alcohol.

A decision is expected to be made in the next several months on how exactly the money will be allocated to law enforcement departments across the state.

The New York Car Accident Lawyers with William Mattar Injury Lawyers ask that motorists keep themselves and others safe by not getting behind the wheel without doctors of pharmacist approval after taking medications. Also, if you have been injured in an accident caused by someone found to be under the influence of drugs at the time of the crash, their experienced team of attorneys may be able to help you.

Lives have been lost in the Bronx, in Virginia, in Upstate New York as sleep-deprived intercity bus drivers cause their buses to careen into other drivers and off the road.

The National Transportation Safety Board’s report commissioned by Senator Schumer and Representative Velazquez is the latest in a string of wake-up calls, said Lawrence J. Hanley with the Huffington Post.

Their leadership on this issue so far has been admirable, but not yet enough has been done. Congress needs to focus on ensuring driver fatigue is addressed in bus reform proposals.

Focused on seat belts, vehicle structure, and unsafe bus owners, the Motor Coach Enhanced Safety Act of 2011 passed by Congress does nothing to combat drivers who get behind the wheel with little or no sleep.

Due to an outdated loophole, intercity bus operators do not get overtime pay. They are exempt from overtime rules under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), which is not fair to intercity bus drivers.

Congress and the Administration need to realize what a danger these drivers are on our roads, a danger to themselves, their passengers, and other drivers. Lifting the FLSA overtime pay exemption is a start.  Then bus drivers can be fairly compensated for their work exceeding 40hours.

Not only is this the right thing to do, but it is the safe thing to do for all of us who travel on the roads.

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If you or someone you know were the victim of a New York auto accident, the New York auto accident lawyers at the William Mattar Law Offices may be able to help you.

The headlines have been coming in for months: lives lost in the Bronx, in Virginia, in Upstate New York, as intercity buses careen into other drivers and off the road.

Last week’s National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) report was a much-needed look at the ugly underbelly of the bus industry, said Lawrence J. Hanley with the Huffington Post.

These crashes are devastating, but they are not unexpected. They are the result of an unregulated intercity bus industry that operates below the law and encourages its drivers to work on little to no sleep, according to Hanley.

Among the key findings in NTSB’s latest report is “driver fatigue as a contributing factor to fatal motor coach accidents,” and it “has identified driver fatigue as an issue on its Most Wanted List of Safety Improvements.”

Intercity bus companies get away with paying their drivers criminally low wages, forcing them to work more than 100 hours per week to make ends meet.

NSTB estimates that 36 percent of fatal bus crashes in the past decade have been the result of driver fatigue. It is the number one cause of fatal accidents.

These intercity bus drivers asleep at the wheel  are a danger not only to themselves and their passengers, but also to any car, truck, motorcycle, bicycle, and pedestrian on the roads.

In our next blog, you will find out what is being done to correct this problem.  Check back in on Wednesday.

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If you or someone you know were the victim of a New York auto accident, the New York auto accident lawyers at the William Mattar Law Offices may be able to help you.

On Thursday first-responders allegedly dropped a Ford Taurus on a Brooklyn, New York motorcyclist who had just been hit by the car and drug nearly 30 feet down Loring Avenue.

The accident occurred after the 21-year-old City College student returned home to grab something that he’d forgotten on his way to school. “Whatever he forgot cost him his life,” said the man’s brother, because as the man was traveling back to school on his motorcycle on Loring Avenue a 70-year-old man in a Ford Taurus turned in front of him and hit him at Forbell Street. The motorcyclist became trapped under the Taurus and was drug almost 30 feet before the driver came to a stop.

When rescuers appeared on the scene, they used a hydraulic lift to raise the car four feet off the ground so that they could get to the victim. Two cell phone videos that were captured by witnesses then show the car slipping and falling back down on the man.

Fire and police officials have confirmed that the car did fall but say that it didn’t fall on the man because they had placed wooden chocks under the car frame which protected the man from the impact. They also say that he was already dead before the car fell.

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If you or someone you know were the victim of a New York auto accident, the New York accident lawyers at the Law Offices of William Mattar may be able to help you.

New York state officials held a press conference at Crossings Park in Colonie, New York, on Tuesday to warn motorcyclists about the risks on the road.

This heightened awareness comes in light of the growing popularity of motorcycles in New York; TimesUnion.com reports that 28 percent more New Yorkers hold motorcycle licenses than 10 years ago–so that there are now more than 655,000 licensed riders in the state. That also means that the state has seen a 76 percent increase in the number of registered motorcycles over the last decade.

“Motorcycling is more popular than ever,” said state Department of Motor Vehicles Commissioner Barbara Fiala. “With this popularity comes an increase in crashes, injuries, and fatalities.”

Motorcycle riders are reportedly 37 times more likely to die in a crash as compared to car accidents that result in fatalities. In 2010, 182 New Yorkers died in motorcycle accidents.

At Tuesday’s press conference New York’s Motorcycle Safety Program Manager Chris Connelly spoke about safety tips for motorcyclists and those that share the road with them.

These tips include:

- Take advantage of educational programs, both for beginners and experienced motrocyclists

- Wear protective gear at all times and consider wearing neon-colored clothes for extra visibility

- Never ride drunk or under the influence of drugs

- If you’re in a car, keep an eye out for motocyclists and give them room on the road

- Do not throw out trash that could hit a motorcycle or cause them to slip

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If you or someone you know were the victim of a New York motorcycle accident, the New York accident lawyers at the Law Offices of William Mattar may be able to help you.

Two 29-year-old residents of Alden, New York, died early Sunday morning in a one-motorcycle crash on Big Tree Road in the Town of Wales.

Officers told The Buffalo News that the motorcycle’s male driver appears to have lost control of the bike around 4:15 a.m. before hitting a guardrail. Both he and his female passenger died at the scene of the accident.

The bodies of both victims were transported to the Erie County Medical Examiner’s Office. The man was reportedly a veteran of the war in Iraq, and the woman was a mother of three.

This crash marks four motorcycle-related fatalities in Erie County in the past week. The other accident occurred in Amherst on Tuesday night when two men who were traveling in a group of motorcycles wrecked their bikes on I-290.

Deputies say they’re not yet sure if alcohol or high speed factored into the crash.

The Erie County Sheriff’s Office continues to investigate the incident and urges anyone with information on the whereabouts of the man and woman prior to the fatal crash to to contact Sgt. Daniel Dytchkowskyj at 716-858-2903.

Read more.

If you or someone you know were the victim of a New York motorcycle accident, the New York accident lawyers at the Law Offices of William Mattar may be able to help you.

Two men died Tuesday night in an Amherst, New York, accident that involved multiple motorcycles on I-290 at the Niagra Falls Boulevard exit.

The victims were reportedly riding with a cluster of nine or 10 other motorcyclists just before the accident.

During the accident, two drivers lost control of their motorcycles. One motorcycle slid under a tractor trailer, according to BuffaloNews.com. The 29-year-old driver died, but a 21-year-old female passenger miraculously survived. She was taken to ECMC and is listed in stable condition.

Another motorcyclist, aged 27, also died in the crash.

Police told WGRZ.com that the motorcyclists were traveling at an extremely high rate of speed; one state trooper clocked them at more than 120 miles per hour.

Amherst Police Capt. Patrick M. McKenna told BuffaloNews.com that speed was likely the main cause of the crash.

“The trooper flipped his lights on but turned them off when a few of the bikes pulled away,” said McKenna. ”He realized they were going way too fast, and he was not about to engage them. He used very good judgment.”

Police took four people to the Amherst Police Department for questioning.

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If you or someone you know were the victim of a New York auto accident, the New York accident lawyers at the Law Offices of William Mattar may be able to help you.

A 20-year-old motorcycle rider is dead after a Buffalo auto accident with an NFTA bus.

According to WKBW.com, the Buffalo auto accident occurred on New Babcock Street.

The 20-year-old was riding his motorcycle when he slammed into the NFTA bus in Buffalo. He was killed on impact.

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Do you think Buffalo motorcycle riders are safe? What do you think could be done to ensure the safety of Buffalo motorcycle riders?

If you or someone you know has been involved in a Buffalo motorcycle accident, the Buffalo motorcycle accident lawyers at William Mattar Law Firm can help.

According to New York State Police, the driver was traveling in excess of 100 mph when a police officer tried to pull him over. The man continued traveling on his motorcycle and ran two red lights before he crashed into a car that was attempting to back into a driveway near the intersection of Chester Avenue and Military Road.

The man was transported to the hospital to be treated for severe injuries. According to police, the man had been previously ticketed for speeding at a rate higher than 100 mph.

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When does speeding become reckless driving? In this instance, it seems the man had a history of driving at excessive speeds. Do you think his license should have been taken away before this accident? Would it have prevented this accident from occurring?

If you have been injured in a Niagara Falls high-speed auto accident, the New York auto accident attorneys at William Mattar Law Firm can help you.