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When people start “making merry,” the police start looking for drunk drivers
The holiday season is rapidly approaching. For a lot of people, this is the season of indulgences. They spend more time relaxing, they eat more and they drink more. That last activity, in particular, can lead to problems — like a drunk driving charge.
The authorities are quite conscious of the fact that the holidays are problematic when it comes to drunk driving. Consider, for example, the fact that roughly 300 people die in drunk driving accidents every year in the short period between Christmas and New Year’s Day. Slightly more than a quarter of the traffic accidents during the month of December are usually attributed to drunk driving accidents.
In part, the increase in drunk driving incidents may be related to the fact that the holiday season tends to bring out the “practice drunks” in every gathering. These are the folks that don’t normally imbibe (or rarely do so heavily). They are often less conscious of their limits, and less prepared to get home without help.
You can absolutely bet that the police will be out on the roads from Thanksgiving onward looking for any signs of impaired driving. To avoid problems, play it smart:
- If you’re attending a gathering where there will be alcohol, either don’t drink at all or strictly limit your consumption. Make sure that you stop drinking several hours before you have to be back on the road.
- Consider asking for a place to sleep. If you’re at a friend’s or family member’s during the holiday season and you want to party, it may be wisest to ask if you can spend the night. That way, you don’t have to risk being on the road at all.
- Get a ride wherever you’re going and then back home. If your car isn’t there, you won’t be tempted to get behind the wheel. If you plan to drink heavily at a gathering, get a ride.
If you do make a mistake, don’t let a single night out wreck your life. A drunk driving charge is serious, so make sure that you have a serious defense attorney by your side building your defense.