3 Tips to Avoid Drunk Driving Accidents This Holiday Season
The holidays are a great time for getting together with family and friends. Many of us will attend parties or holiday dinners. But this also means an increased risk of drunk driving as people choose to get behind the wheel after consuming alcohol at a dinner or party. If you plan to be out on the road during the holidays, here are three tips that can help reduce your chances of being involved in a drunk driving accident.
Keep Your Distance
First, you should keep your distance from other vehicles you suspect may be operated by an intoxicated driver. Common signs that a driver may be intoxicated include:
- Failing to come to a stop at the stop line
- Drifting in and out of the lane or weaving across the road
- Drifting off the road or over the centerline
- Nearly hitting medians, curbs, or other clearly visible objects
- Braking for no reason
- Inability to maintain speed or to keep pace with traffic, including gradually slowing down only to suddenly speed up
- Making illegal turns
If you see a vehicle making any of these maneuvers, do not attempt to follow or flag down the driver. Instead, keep your distance from the vehicle, make a mental note of the vehicle’s make/model/license plate number, and pull over where safe to do so to contact the police.
Avoid Driving During Certain Times
You can also help reduce your chances of being involved in an accident with a drunk driver by staying off the road during times when intoxicated drivers are more likely to be on the road. This typically includes the hours of midnight through 3 am when bars and clubs let out, particularly on Fridays and Saturdays when people are more likely to go out on the town.
You should also avoid driving during the late night and early morning hours on certain holidays and cultural events where people are more likely to be out drinking, such as St. Patrick’s Day, Cinco de Mayo, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s.
Never Drink and Drive
Finally, you can control your risk of being involved in a drunk driving accident by never committing the act of driving while intoxicated yourself. During the holidays, you may want to make an exception to this rule, or you may think that you can be “okay” to drive after consuming alcohol at a holiday party or dinner. However, you may not realize how intoxicated you are. In addition, any degree of alcohol intoxication impairs your ability to safely operate a vehicle, which may be compounded by driving late at night when you are already feeling drowsy or fatigued. Make plans to get home safely from a party or dinner, which may include:
- Having a designated driver
- Calling a rideshare or taxi
- Taking public transit
- Making plans to stay the night if you attend a party or dinner at a friend’s or family member’s home
- Getting a hotel room or Airbnb somewhere within walking distance of the party or event you are attending
Contact a Perth Amboy Personal Injury Lawyer to Discuss Your Drunk Driving Accident Case in New Jersey
Did you or a loved one sustain serious injuries due to a drunk driving accident in New Jersey? Don’t let the medical bills pile up while you wait for the negligent party or their insurance company to do the right thing. Right now, you need an aggressive personal injury attorney on your side, fighting to get you the compensation you need, want, and deserve. The skilled attorneys at CourtLaw represent clients injured because of drunk driving accidents in Hoboken, New Brunswick, Perth Amboy, East Orange, and throughout New Jersey. Call (732) 442-5900 or fill out our online contact form to schedule a free consultation about your case. We have an office conveniently located at 163 Market St., Perth Amboy, NJ 08861, as well as offices in New Brunswick, Roselle, East Orange, Jersey City, Elizabeth, Linden, Newark, Paterson, South Amboy, Trenton.
The articles on this blog are for informative purposes only and are no substitute for legal advice or an attorney-client relationship. If you are seeking legal advice, please contact our law firm directly.
