The Barnes Firm

How to Avoid a Drunk Driving Accident During the Holidays

• November 27, 2019
• Sandy

SAN DIEGO — The Barnes Firm and our best car accident lawyers in San Diego are committed to educating people about accident prevention in the hopes of saving lives.  The holiday season is here and our firm hopes you, your family and your friends have a wonderful holiday season and remain safe!

Although law enforcement works tirelessly to crack down on drunk driving during the holiday season, accidents caused by drunk drivers remain high year after year.  The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration reports that a person is killed every 48 minutes by a drunk driver in the United States.  Unfortunately, the number of drunk driving fatalities has increased in the State of California, whereas the national average has been on the decline. The following are a few driving tips to help you and your family prevent a tragic drunk driving accident:

1. Know the drunk driving season. The peak dates for drunk driving fall between Thanksgiving Day and New Year’s Day.  It’s common for people to attend several parties after work and in the evening hours during holiday season.  One way to avoid a drunk driving accident is to limit your evening driving as much as possible during the holiday season.
2. Plan to spend the night. If you’re planning to go to a party at a friend or relative’s home, make arrangements to stay overnight.  Bring an overnight bag with a change of clothes, medication, and personal hygiene products.  Alternatively, you could book a room at a nearby hotel.  It’s safer to stay off the roads after 7 p.m. during the holiday season.  The statistical peak hours for drunk drivers is from midnight to 3 a.m.
3. Inspect your vehicle. One of the most dangerous situations a motorist can find themselves in is having a flat tire or some other roadside emergency.  Each year, thousands of people are struck and killed by cars while changing a flat tire.  Check your tires for nails, low pressure, and damage.  As the temperatures rise and fall, a slow leak in a tire could result in a flat tire in the evening hours.
4. Drive along well-lit roadways. Drivers who’ve been drinking will sometimes take back roads and less trafficked roadways to elude law enforcement.  Also, driving in heavy traffic means you and potentially drunk drivers will be moving a lower speeds.  The lower the speed of the vehicles involved in an accident, the better.
5. Avoid interstate travel. Although it’s recommended that you drive along major roadways, interstate travel should be avoided.  First, many fatal interstate accidents involving drunk drivers occur because the drunk driver took a wrong turn and is driving in the wrong direction.  Another reason for avoiding interstate travel is because of the higher posted speed limit.
6. Avoid driving on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. Studies show that the percentage of fatal drunk driving accidents peaks at 58% during New Year’s celebrations.  For this reason, our best car accident lawyers in San Diego recommend that you avoid driving during New Year’s.  One study found that 70% of intoxicated drivers were charged with “super DUI” criminal charges.  This means the drunk driver was operating a motor vehicle at almost double the legal limit.
7. Stay alert. If you do have to drive at night and during the holiday season, be sure to wear your seatbelt and remain alert to your surroundings.  Use extra caution and check your rear view mirror when stopping at red lights to look out for a potential rear-end collision.  Be on the lookout for red-light runners.  Use extreme care when entering intersections.  Ensure the intersection is clear and all lanes of traffic are stopped before preceding through an intersection.

Although we hope that you or someone you love is never involved in a car accident, they happen to everyone. Our best car accident lawyers in San Diego estimate that every person will be involved in more than two car accidents over their lifetimes, on average.  In the event that you or someone you love has been hurt in an accident, contact The Barnes Firm for a free case review.

We’ll put our best car accident lawyers in San Diego on your case, so you can be confident you’ll get the most out of your case.

The Barnes Firm (800) 800-0000