August 8, 2012 – Westchester County, New York – Reuters reported that Kerry Kennedy was arrested and charged with driving while impaired for a recent car accident after a blood test revealed that she tested positive for a generic form of Ambien.
Ambien is a prescription sleep medication that has been linked to a number of incidents of sleep driving. The makers of Ambien warn users not to drive or operate a vehicle when taking the drug because it causes impaired faculties and makes driving dangerous.
Under New York’s laws on driving while impaired, a driver who is under the influence of drugs, such as Ambien, can be charged with DWI; however, the driver must be considered to be impaired at the time of the crash in order to be found liable.
In the Kerry Kennedy case, it will be important to determine whether Ambien played a role in Kennedy causing the crash, and it will be important to determine if Kennedy was impaired at the time, thus driving illegally. Drivers who operate a vehicle when impaired can also be held responsible in a civil lawsuit if they cause an auto accident and seriously harm another person.
To learn more about New York’s laws on car accidents and driving while impaired or if you need help filing an injury claim, contact an attorney at Gacovino Lake & Associates at 800-246-4878.
