Advertisements warning about drunk driving tend to increase around the holidays, contributing to your anxiety about your upcoming travel plans. Local police departments may also notify the public of increased patrols and other enhanced enforcement efforts aimed at catching drunk drivers during the holiday season.
Whether you worry about being unfairly swept up in enforcement efforts or getting into a car crash, you obviously don’t want a drunk driving incident to destroy your family’s holiday plans. The truth is that there may be an increased risk of a collision and also increased law enforcement presence on the roads around the holidays because of people’s alcohol consumption habits and travel plans around these special days.
Does drunk driving really increase around the holidays?
Drunk driving fatalities spike around the holidays
The fatal crash statistics from year to year show a very sobering trend about the holiday season. Specifically, deadly collisions tend to occur on holidays and often on the weekend immediately before or after a holiday celebration.
Thanksgiving and New Year’s day, along with the Fourth of July, are among the holidays that see the most significant increase in fatal crash rates. Of course, any holiday that requires that people travel to spend it with family or that involves the tradition relating to the consumption of alcohol might see an uptick in drunk driving collisions.
That enhanced crash risk will also mean that more police officers are out on the road watching for those who should not have gotten behind the wheel.
How can you protect yourself during the holiday season?
Maybe you are someone who loves traditional holiday celebrations and doesn’t want to deprive yourself of a celebratory midnight toast or similar beverage. Perhaps you are simply someone who wants to protect their loved ones and worries about the risk of a crash.
Minimizing how much you travel on the actual holidays, planning your routes to avoid highways frequently clogged with travelers and giving your body time to metabolize the alcohol before you drive could all be ways to reduce the risk of drunk driving affecting your holiday season. Taking preventative action may be necessary both for those accused of driving after drinking and those coping with the consequences of an alcohol-related wreck.