Shocking Surge in Drunk Driving Accidents: Double the Trouble in One Year!

A two car crash downtown this afternoon is the eighth accident involving drunk driving this year.

There were four drunk driving related accidents over the same period last year.

A doubling of crashes involving drunk drivers year over year is a worrying trend, says RCMP Constable Rick Johnson.

"We don't know how to explain the increase. We are working with community leaders to raise awareness of the dangers of drunk driving."

A multi car collision on Victoria Street on Tuesday evening sent two people to hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

One of the vehicles involved ran a red light, striking a second vehicle attempting to cross the intersection onto 3rd avenue.

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Could have been worse

"The injuries to all parties are relatively minor. This could have been much worse," said Johnson.

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The driver of the car that ran the red light is man in his 40s. He suffered unspecified upper body injuries. He is facing one charge of dangerous driving and another for driving under the influence.

Many witnesses

This is yet another reminder to all drivers that alcohol and drinking do not mix, said Jane Appleton, manager of the Lewiston chapter of MAAAD.

"Luckily this accident did not result in any fatalities. At the same time, circumstances could have been different and this could have been catastrophic in terms of lives lost.

"Many people were walking on the sidewalk at the time of the accident. It's pure luck that they were not struck."

John Mayer was walking his dog along the sidewalk when he heard a loud crash behind him.

"I had just crossed the sidewalk across the intersection. I heard a large crash and saw a red truck had t-boned a minivan. Steam was sprouting from the truck engine and there was fluid all over the road. I was afraid a fire would start. It was a very scary situation."

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Fire trucks arrived shortly after and secured the scene.

This is the second accident involving driving under the influence this month. On March 4, a drunk driver struck a tree on the old frontage road outside of town.

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