The celebrations of the holiday season bring a darker side to the nation’s roadways – a spike in fatal car accidents. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the number of drunk driving fatalities is 2 to 3 times higher during the holiday season, which runs from Thanksgiving to New Years. Further, The U.S. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism reports that 40% of traffic deaths between Christmas and New Year’s are caused by drunk drivers, which is 12 percent higher than the rest of December.
Below are a few common sense safety tips can help protect yourself and your family from harm.
- Don’t drink and drive!
- Devise a safe plan to get home ahead of time, whether having a designated driver who abstains from all alcohol, taking public transportation, or arranging for a cab/ride share service to bring you home.
- If you do drink alcoholic beverages, know your limits. Limit the number of alcoholic beverages to one an hour, drink plenty of water, and don’t drink on an empty stomach.
- If possible, avoid being on the road during peak holiday driving
For more information or if you have sustained injuries in a drunk driving accident, please contact the experienced San Francisco personal injury lawyers at Bostwick & Peterson, LLP for an immediate consultation.