NEW YORK CITY DRUNK DRIVING ARRESTS HIGHEST IN QUEENS 'HOOD

From: New York attorney Gary E. Rosenberg (personal injury and accident attorney and lawyer; serving Brooklyn Queens Bronx; Queens Injury Attorney)

The Queens County neighborhood of Corona leads New York City in drunk-driving arrests, according to New York City Police Department statistics.

There have been 257 drunk-driving arrests to date this year in the 115th Police Precinct, which includes parts of Corona, East Elmhurst and Jackson Heights. Roosevelt Avenue, in the heart of the neighborhood, has 80 bars and alcohol-selling restaurants and attracts drivers from around the New York City area.

While drunk driving arrests have dropped over eight percent citywide so far this year compared with the same time period in 2009, arrests remained exactly the same in the 115th Precinct.

The neighboring 110th Precinct -- which includes Elmhurst and the rest of Corona, with notoriously hard-to-find mass transit and yellow cabs -- had 167 DWI arrests through June 6 for the city's second highest total.

One reason Corona, Queens, has higher arrest statistics is the heavy motor vehicle congestion along the main road in that neighborhood: Roosevelt Avenue.

To avoid accidents and persoanl injury, drivers must often swerve to avoid double- or triple-parked cars and getting into crashes or collisions. Other violations, like having headlights off or not signaling can also attract police attention.

However, the New York City Police Dept. has assigned 100 "impact" cops to the area to prevent crime.

There is a fairly small amount of violent crime in the neighborhood, giving patrol cops more time to zero in on erratic drivers, and prevent accidents.

In New York City overall, drunk driving arrests are up 93.4% since 2001. One can only wonder how great an effect this has had on the number of accidents and people hurt and suffering serious personal injury in car, bus or truck accidents.