If you’re like many other people who live in Pennsylvania, you’ve likely been spending your recent time writing guest lists and making plans for Thanksgiving and the upcoming holiday season. Whether you typically host a large gathering of family and friends or prefer a more intimate celebration, chances are you’ll be driving a bit more than usual as you run errands, grocery shop or head out for some Black Friday shopping.
It’s definitely a festive time of year. However, the more cars and pedestrians on the road, the greater risk there is for collision. A lot of people will be attending holiday parties, many of which will include alcoholic beverages. In a perfect world, anyone planning on consuming alcohol will take responsible precautions to secure transportation so they don’t run the risk of drunk driving. In reality, there will no doubt be drunk drivers sharing Pennsylvania highways with you during the holidays.
Statistics are startling
Do you know that nearly every hour, one person dies from injuries in an alcohol-related crash? In fact, every day, there are approximately 30 fatalities across the country that impaired drivers have caused. The last thing you want during the 2019 holiday season is to become a drunk driving accident victim.
It isn’t that difficult to avoid drunk driving
There are numerous ways holiday party goers can ensure safe travel for themselves and others. The simplest option, of course, is to arrange for someone else (who has not consumed alcohol) to do the driving. If you haven’t thought that far ahead and wind up imbibing, you can always use a ride share app or call a taxi when it’s time to go home.
Seat buckles save lives
Whether you’re riding as a passenger in someone’s car or are behind the wheel of your own vehicle, it pays to wear proper seat restraint at all times. A seat belt might be your best defense against potentially fatal injuries if an intoxicated driver fails to stop at a red light or veers across the line into your oncoming lane.
There may be nothing you can do to avoid collision
You can adhere to all safety regulations and traffic laws. You can make responsible choices when it comes to holiday parties and alcohol. The fact is, however, that your best effort might not be enough to avoid collision because drunk driving accidents often occur suddenly, leaving little to no time for you to safely react to avert a crash.
If your holidays are ruined by a drunk driver
Feelings of anger and frustration are common when a drunk driver causes a collision that results in an innocent person’s injury. Your holiday camping trip, weekend at the beach or ski trip to the mountains might be postponed or canceled if you’re lying in bed, recovering from severe injuries.
Pennsylvania drunk drivers often face criminal charges and severe penalties if a judge or jury convicts them. Such drivers also often have to go to civil court when accident victims seek financial recovery for their losses and name a particular drunk driver as a defendant.