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Six Charges Filed after Series of Car Crashes
Posted by: Christopher Hoffmann
October 30, 2008

A Springfield police officer who was involved in a series of car crashes on a single day now faces six criminal charges, the Springfield News-Leader reports.

On Sept. 23, Joseph N. Motte, 54, was getting onto Interstate 44 near Waynesville when his car crashed into a tractor trailer. Despite the collision, Motte was able to continue driving his car for seven more miles. That's when his car ran off the road and struck a cable barrier.

Investigators at the scene found a whiskey flask, two open beer cans and two loaded handguns in Motte's car. Motte failed a sobriety test, and, prosecutors allege, he reeked of alcohol.

On Oct. 22, Motte was charged with three Class D felonies including leaving the scene of an accident and two counts of possessing a loaded firearm while intoxicated. He was also charged with misdemeanor driving while intoxicated and two counts of careless and imprudent driving.

Motte now faces the possibility of prison time as well as an internal investigation. Motte has been placed on administrative leave and if it is determined that he violated the police department's internal policies, he could be fired.

Fortunately, he only suffered minor injuries. Not everyone is so lucky. Each year hundreds of thousands of people are injured and tens of thousands killed in alcohol-related accidents nationwide. In fact, about 40 percent of all driving-related deaths are caused by drunk driving.

If you, or a family member, were unfortunate enough to be involved in a drunk-driving accident, please retain an experienced lawyer immediately. The sooner an experienced attorney gets involved, the better.

An experienced motor vehicle accident attorney can work with a toxicology expert to gather evidence from police reports, the scene of the accident and from witnesses. At the Hoffmann Law Firm in St. Louis, our car and truck accident lawyer Chris Hoffmann can assist you in obtaining the compensation you need for present and future needs, lost wages, and pain and suffering.

Call 314.480.3378 or fill out our personal injury intake form today, and attorney Chris Hoffmann will personally call you back. The amount of compensation you receive from an injury claim is important for you future - choose your lawyer carefully.

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Missouri Law Targets Medically Unfit Drivers
Posted by: Christopher Hoffmann
October 23, 2008

According to a study released by AAA Missouri and AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, a Missouri law that allows police officers, doctors, licensing staff, and family members to confidentially report potentially unfit drivers has had a big impact.

Drivers who have been reported as possibly unfit are required to pass a physical exam and possibly a driving test. Drivers who refuse to cooperate with the examinations may lose their license.

The ten-year-old law uses performance and medical fitness as reporting criteria, not age. However, the study found that the average age of a driver who was reported as potentially unsafe was 80.

The study, released on Oct. 22, found that 96 percent of drivers aged 50 or older who were identified as potentially unsafe lost their licenses.

Thomas M. Meuser, the study's lead researcher and a professor of social work and gerontology at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, commended the law:

"[The law] serves as critical safety net for the identification and evaluation of medically-at-risk drivers who remain behind the wheel despite tangible functional and safety concerns."

The family of Jason Suroff, 21, lobbied heavily for the law's passage. In 1993, Suroff was killed when he was run off the road by a 91-year-old man with dementia who was driving the wrong way down Interstate 70, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

A motor vehicle accident can have catastrophic consequences, both for the victim and the victim's family. Contact an attorney at The Hoffmann Law Firm, L.L.C. in Saint Louis, Missouri, to discuss your legal options.

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Red-Light-Running Dangers
Posted by: Christopher Hoffmann
October 16, 2008

Last Monday, two off-duty police officers in Kansas City were injured when a motorist in a pick-up truck ran a red light and crashed into the officers' car.

Although both of the officers and the truck driver were taken to the hospital, their injuries were not life threatening, KSHB - Channel 41 reports.

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, red-light-running is a big problem -especially in urban areas. Each year, red-light-running causes about 92,000 crashes resulting in about 950 deaths and 90,000 injuries.

As a group, red-light-runners tend to be younger, less likely to wear a seat belt, and they drive older, smaller cars. Red-light-runners are three times as likely to have multiple speeding convictions. There are also no discernible differences between men and women in terms of which gender is more likely to run a red light.

If you have been injured by a red-light-runner, contact the Hoffmann Law Firm. Our St. Louis law firm only handles motor vehicle accident claims. By focusing our practice on car accident and truck accident claims, we are in a better position to provide you with important information - especially information regarding the value of your claim and the strengths and limitations of your case.

Our attorney, Chris Hoffmann, has over 10 years of experience handling accident claims. Over the course of a decade, Mr. Hoffmann has compiled an excellent track record of success in settlements and at trial, recovering millions of dollars for thousands of clients.

To discuss your car or truck accident claim with an experienced personal injury attorney, please schedule a free consultation by calling us at 314.480.3378 or fill out our personal injury intake form. Discover how a dedicated high-powered lawyer canhelp you obtain the maximum compensation for your claim.

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Special Key Curbs Teen Drivers
Posted by: Christopher Hoffmann
October 09, 2008

Parents of teen drivers worry. They worry that when they hand over the keys, their teen will drive down the highway at 100 miles per hour with the radio blaring. Those worried parents might relax a bit now that Ford Motor Co. has unveiled a new system that would put the brakes on some dangerous behaviors.

Ford announced this week that it had developed a system called "MyKey." Beginning with the 2010 model year, some cars will come with a "teen" key that can limit the car's speed to 80 miles per hour. The teen key can be programmed to limit how loudly the radio can be played and will sound continuous alerts if the seat belt isn't fastened. Parents even have the option of muting the radio if the seatbelt isn't fastened.

Reaction to MyKey has been mixed. Some are calling it a nanny key and others criticize the system for its Big Brother feel. Teens aren't crazy about it either.

But as the Associated Press reports, car crashes are the leading cause of death among teens, and speeding is a major factor.

"The rate of crashes, fatal and nonfatal, per mile driven for 16-year-old drivers is almost 10 times the rate for drivers ages 30 to 59, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration."

At the Hoffmann Law Firm, we hope you can avoid a future accident. However, if you were unfortunate enough to be involved in an auto accident, rest assured that help is available. Please schedule a free consultation with motor vehicle accident attorney Chris Hoffmann by calling us at 314.480.3378 or filling out our personal injury intake form.

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