This Thanksgiving, beware of drunk drivers

Posted in Accident & Injury on November 19, 2018

If you are like millions of other people across the country, you are gearing up for a road trip on Thanksgiving.

Whether this trip is across the country or across the city, it is important to be mindful that certain hazards increase during the Thanksgiving holiday. The most dangerous, perhaps, is the increased number of drunk drivers on the road.

Why so many drunk drivers?

During the Thanksgiving holiday, people often have time off work or they are home from college. People travel by car more and may be visiting places with which they are less familiar. They are also more likely to drink, which can lower their inhibitions and adversely affect their decision-making skills.

All these factors can make it more likely that we will see more intoxicated drivers on the road this weekend.

And it’s not just the day of Thanksgiving people should worry about, either. As this article from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration notes, the night before Thanksgiving is also particularly dangerous in terms of drunk driving.

Efforts to stop drunk drivers

Law enforcement agencies across the country routinely ramp up drunk driving enforcement efforts. They increase patrols and set up sobriety checkpoints; they crack down on pulling over drivers who exhibit signs of intoxication.

Parties also launch campaigns around this time to raise awareness of the risks and penalties of drunk driving.

Despite these efforts, however, people continue to get behind the wheel when they are drunk.

How you can protect yourself

There are a few important ways you can reduce your risk of a drunk driving crash. You can avoid driving late at night, when there are more likely to be intoxicated drivers on the road. You can also steer clear of any car that seems to be swerving, speeding or driving the wrong way.

If you or a loved one does end up in an accident with a drunk driver, you can still take action to protect yourself. You can do this by discussing with an attorney your options for filing a lawsuit against the drunk driver. This can allow you to pursue compensation you may deserve and hold the driver accountable for his or her actions.