Drunk Driving During The Holidays – Don’t Become A Statistic! - Hildebrand & Wilson LLC

Hildebrand & Wilson, LLC in Pearland, Texas - Image of a Couple on Christmas

Making merry with a drink or two is a part of many people’s holiday plans; however, auto accident lawyers advise that those couple of drinks could lead to an accident if you are not careful.

Auto accident incidence rises substantially over the holidays, leaving many with the need to call a personal injury lawyer for help.

Attorneys suggest that the best ways to avoid becoming a statistic this holiday season is to think ahead.

Drinking, Driving, And the Holidays

As the holidays near, personal injury lawyers stress the importance of recognizing the significance this time of year has on car accident rates, especially those caused by drunk driving.

With alcohol playing a part in many celebrations, the numbers of alcohol-related accidents and fatalities tends to skyrocket between Thanksgiving and New Years.

In Texas alone, auto accident lawyers report that there were over 2500 crashes during the 2017 holidays and nearly 4,000 crashes in the 4-day period of 12/29/18 to 1/1/2019.

Among these accidents, there were 202 serious injuries and 96 fatalities, and 123 serious injuries and 37 fatalities, respectively.¹

These numbers are significantly higher than at other non-holiday times of year, representing a 34% increase in accidents and a 38% increase in fatalities.

Plan Ahead When Drinking Will Be Involved

While the incidence of auto accidents does rise significantly over the holidays in part due to drunk driving, personal injury attorneys suggest that the best way to enjoy the party while staying safe is to simply have a transportation plan already in place:

Allow Plenty of Time - The most obvious thing to do if you want to have a drink or two but still have to drive home is to drink early, then stop and give yourself plenty of time to allow your system to process the alcohol. Eat beforehand and afterwards, drink plenty of water and non-alcoholic beverages, and wait some hours before attempting to drive.
Stay Over If Possible - For those who want to be part of the celebration, another option suggested by lawyers that may be more preferable is to arrange ahead of time to stay over with friends or family or arrange for a hotel room so you can get dropped off and sleep it off, then drive home the next day.
Use a Designated Driver - Choosing a designated sober driver ahead of time is a reliable way for your whole group to make it home safely and the designated driver can still enjoy the festivities with non-alcoholic and ‘virgin’ beverages.
Call For A Ride - If you want to have your cake and eat with alcoholic beverages this holiday season, auto accident lawyers recommend simply calling a cab or arranging a ride with a rideshare service like Lyft, Uber, or whatever is available where you are. Holiday times are some of the best times to use these services when the celebrating will include drinking.

Keep the Holidays Safe And Bright Without Drunk Driving

Driving under the influence is one of the most dangerous things that anyone could do, especially over the holidays.

This is a time when personal injury lawyers have noticed a considerably higher incidence of accidents with resulting legal cases, turning happy holidays into very unfortunate times.

With some pre-planning and a willingness to compromise a little bit, attorneys agree that you can have a safe holiday even while joining in on all the celebration.

Avoid having to call an auto accident lawyer this holiday season by practicing these helpful, safe, and sober driving tips!