JONES LAW GROUPYour Lawyers for Life! Personal Injury Law Firm in St. Petersburg
Cases of drivers under the influence of drugs in Tampa Bay have been increasing exponentially in recent years. Illegal drugs as well as legal prescription drugs can all inhibit a driver, from slowing a driver’s reaction time to affecting coordination and motor skills. A drugged driver is a dangerous driver. Fatal crashes caused by drivers […]
Call our personal injury law office directly at (727) 512-9847
At Jones Law Group in St. Petersburg, FL, we would like to hear from you. Contact us for a free personal injury case consultation.
Call our personal injury law office at (727) 512-9847
Get educated on the Florida's personal injury laws and more.
Cases of drivers under the influence of drugs in Tampa Bay have been increasing exponentially in recent years. Illegal drugs as well as legal prescription drugs can all inhibit a driver, from slowing a driver’s reaction time to affecting coordination and motor skills. A drugged driver is a dangerous driver.
Fatal crashes caused by drivers under the influence of drugs are up 47% in the past three years in the Tampa Bay area; 465 crashes have been reported since 2014, according to ABC Action News.
The Governors Highway Safety Association (GSHA) has found that opioids and marijuana were the most common drugs found in fatally-injured drivers.
How Common are Drugged Driving Crashes?
It’s hard to tell how many crashes are caused by drivers under the influence of drugs for a few reasons. Drivers in Florida can refuse a blood test which would prove intoxication, whereas in several other states, simply having a driver’s license serves as “implied consent” for drug and alcohol tests.
The recent investigation by ABC Action News also determined that some drivers who are charged with driving under the influence never get prosecuted, and some don’t even lose their driving privileges.
Who is at Fault?
It would be easy to assume the at-fault party would be the impaired driver, but sometimes it is not that simple to determine, especially if prescription drugs are involved. Fault could be found with:
• The impaired driver – Clearly the driver has taken something to diminish his or her driving skills, and caused an accident. This is the most common case, and easiest to determine.
• The doctor or hospital – If the doctor of the impaired driver failed to sufficiently warn the patient of a medication’s side effects, or prescribed the wrong dosage or the wrong drug, the doctor may face liability.
• The pharmaceutical company – If the prescription drug taken may be defective, or perhaps the label or instructions fail to disclose certain side effects, the pharmaceutical company could be at fault.
• The other party involved in the accident – Even though the driver in this scenario was impaired, it is still possible that the impaired driver did not cause the accident.
Contact an Experienced Personal Injury Lawyer at Jones Law Group
Have you or a loved one been injured by someone driving under the influence of drugs? Contact an experienced St. Petersburg personal injury attorney at Jones Law Group today. When you contact our office we will immediately either put you on the phone with one of our attorneys, or set an appointment where you will meet your attorney and be provided with his/her contact information. If you do not have transportation or you cannot drive, your attorney will travel to meet you and discuss your case with you. Call an experienced personal injury attorney in St. Petersburg at Jones Law Group at (727) 571-1333 during regular business hours or (727) 753-8657 on weekends or after regular business hours. We will evaluate your case for free and you will never pay us a dime unless we recover compensation for your injuries.
Jones Law Group
5622 Central Avenue
St. Petersburg, FL 33707
By: Heath C. Murphy + – Personal Injury The title of this article may be a bit misleading and reminiscent of an exchange between Wesley Snipes and Woody Harrelson in White Men Can’t Jump, but people, especially non-motorcycle riding people, are not trained to see motorcycles. They are trained to see cars and trucks. If […]
Slips, trips, and falls happen to everyone at one point or another. Thankfully, these accidents are often more shocking than they are harmful. However, there are many circumstances where slips, trips, and falls do cause severe injuries. Falls lead to over 8 million emergency room visits per year and one in five falls leads to […]
E-Bike Accidents in Tampa: New Laws, Rising Injuries & Your Legal Rights in 2025 Electric bicycles have transformed Tampa’s transportation landscape. From the bustling streets of downtown to the Riverwalk and Bayshore Boulevard, e-bikes offer an eco-friendly alternative to traditional commuting. But with popularity comes risk—and Tampa is experiencing a dramatic surge in e-bike accidents. […]
Drowsy truck drivers pose a threat to other motorists, pedestrians, and bicyclists because they are more likely to exhibit poor judgment, maneuver recklessly, or fall asleep behind the wheel. Driver fatigue can impair driving abilities in ways similar to alcohol intoxication. Fatigue behind the wheel is a significant contributor to truck accidents in the United […]
Florida has more cases of road rage than any other state, including larger and more populated states than our own. Not only does Florida lead the nation in road rage incidents, but there are also more road rage incidents involving guns than any other state. Population in some Florida areas is definitely a factor. Studies […]
Getting into a car accident can be devastating. You can experience injuries that have an impact on your life, changing your quality of living and leaving you with tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars in medical debt along with other damages. If you’ve been the victim of a car accident, you may decide to […]
Speak with us before time runs out! In Florida, you have a limited window to file a personal injury case, so speak to an Attorney today.
Call our personal injury law office directly at (727) 512-9847
Jones Law Group is a dedicated personal injury lawyer in St. Petersburg, FL, serving the Tampa Bay area since 2006. Our experienced attorneys specialize in car accidents, slip and fall cases, employment law disputes, construction law issues, and overtime wage claims, fighting for maximum compensation on a contingency fee basis. Contact us for a free consultation to discuss your case.
Call our personal injury law office at (727) 512-9847
© Copyright 2006–2025 Jones Law Group Attorneys at Law. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy Terms of Use
Attorney Advertising.
The information on this website is for general information purposes only. Nothing on this site should be taken as legal advice for any individual case or situation. This information is not intended to create, and receipt or viewing does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship. Past results do not guarantee similar outcomes.
See the things you NEED TO DO after your accident. Get the 5 to-do's sent directly to your email.
