drunk driving over the holidays Tag Archives

Published on: December 11, 2024

Plan Ahead to Avoid Drunk Driving Car Accidents This December

The month of December sees some of the highest numbers of drunk driving car accidents in the year, thanks to the Christmas and New Year holidays. No wonder then that December is marked as National Impaired Driving Prevention Month.

Data suggests that the number of drunk driving car accidents on our roads is actually increasing every year. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, based on data from 2021, alcohol -related car accident numbers in December were the highest that they have been in 15 years.

All 50 states have laws in place that prohibit driving under the influence of alcohol. In most states, the legally acceptable blood alcohol concentration limit is 0.08. In fact, many agencies including the National Transportation Safety Board have gone on record calling for a further reduction in the blood alcohol concentration limit to .05. In spite of these laws against drunk driving, however, far too many motorists feel comfortable driving after having consumed alcohol, and those numbers increase in the month of December.

Published on: November 13, 2024

Avoid Car Accidents This Thanksgiving Holiday

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

The Thanksgiving holiday weekend is one of the deadliest holidays of the year with law enforcement agencies recording thousands of car accidents during these 4 days.

Thanksgiving ranks right up there with New Year’s Eve, St. Patrick’s Day and Cinco de Mayo as one of the most alcohol -intense holidays of the year. There is a special tradition attached to Thanksgiving which makes it even more strongly linked to alcohol – related car accidents. The Wednesday before the Thanksgiving holiday, typically called Drinksgiving or Black Out Wednesday, ranks as the single biggest drinking day of the year. More alcohol is consumed on this Wednesday than on any other holiday. This means that as you set out for your Thanksgiving break, you are likely to be sharing the road with people who are highly intoxicated on alcohol after having drunk excessively the previous day.

It is not just drunk drivers that motorists need to be extra cautious of during Thanksgiving. Statistics show the incidence of all other types of dangerous driving behaviors including speeding and distracted driving also increases over this holiday weekend. This combination of drinking, being distracted by mobile phones and other passengers in the car as well as speeding to get to their destination on time makes for an ideal combination that increases the risks of being involved a serious car accident. Bear in mind that the Thanksgiving holiday is also when emergency responders and hospital emergency rooms are stressed to their limit which means that if you are involved in a serious car accident, help might be delayed.

Published on: September 19, 2023

Threat of Drunk Driving Auto Accidents Looms Over Labor Day

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Statistics from last year show that Labor Day was the second deadliest holiday in the United States in 2022, and this year, with the incidence of drunk driving on the rise, the risk of alcohol – related car accidents has never been higher.

Last year, one study by a car insurance app found that the Labor Day Holiday weekend ranked second only to the Thanksgiving holiday weekend in the number of fatal car accidents recorded. The study analyzed data between 2011 and 2020, and found that the Labor Day holiday was the second most dangerous holiday in the country. Over the study period, the data showed that more than 4000 people were killed in car accidents over Labor Day, many of them caused by drunk drivers. Approximately, 25% of deaths involved teens and young people in their mid 20s. About 70% of this category of drivers were male. The second most at- risk category of drivers during the Labor Day holiday were drivers between the age of 26 and 35.

Drunk driving is likely fueling this increase in car accident deaths. Recent data shows that driving under the influence of alcohol is actually on the increase across the country. Between 2020 and 2021, there was an increase of approximately 14% in fatal alcohol – related car accidents. Overall, there was an increase of approximately 10% in car accident deaths during the same period of time. Clearly, the role of alcohol in causing car accidents is increasing, and this is a cause of concern.

Published on: December 26, 2018

Safe Driving on New Year’s Eve

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Safe Driving on New Year’s Eve

Few holidays are more universally celebrated than New Year’s Eve. Unfortunately, the holiday sees a dramatic uptick in the number of accidents, especially those involving alcohol and speeding. According to some estimates, Americans are much more likely to drink over New Year’s Eve than any other time of the year. In fact, the U.S. Department of Transportation reports that an average of 300 people die nationally between the week of Christmas and New Year. That makes the streets of Georgia especially dangerous to be on this time of year.

Celebrating responsibly should be a no-brainer, but far too many people ignore basic safety precautions, and end up causing injuries not just to themselves, but also to other motorists on the road. This New Year’s eve, take steps to avoid becoming just another drunk driving accident statistic.

Published on: December 26, 2017

Georgia’s Dram Shop Laws: What to Know If You’re Hosting a New Year’s Party

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

As you’re making plans to ring in the New Year, make sure you are not unwittingly breaking Georgia laws if you are hosting a New Year’s Eve party this year.

While you want your guests to enjoy your event, if you are planning on serving alcohol, you should be aware of the fact that you could be held accountable for your guests’ actions after they have had a few drinks at your party. That accountability is outlined under Georgia’s dram shop and social host liability laws.

Under Georgia law, a social host, or a person who hosts an event or a party, may be held liable for any injuries caused by persons who have consumed alcohol served by the host. In other words, you could be held accountable for serving alcohol to a person who leaves your event and causes an accident that results in injuries.

Published on: September 7, 2015

Alcohol and Holiday Travel Don’t Mix

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

You know who doesn’t take the day off for Labor Day? The police! As a matter of fact, law enforcement departments across the country have announced they’re cracking down on careless driving and DUIs this weekend like never before.

There’s good reason for that.

Labor Day is the second deadliest holiday in America. (Only Thanksgiving claims more lives.) Each year, this single weekend sees tens of thousands of arrests on the highways, and the overwhelming majority of them are for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Published on: July 4, 2015

Drunk Driver Warning for Fourth of July

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Independence Day is the holiday highlight of the summer, but it’s also the deadliest weekend of the year where traffic accidents are concerned.

So before the parades roll out, the cymbals clash, and sparklers light the sky, we want to issue an important word of warning to all our clients, neighbors, and friends in the community: people will be driving under the influence of alcohol this weekend.

Each year, DUI ranks as the #1 cause of death for travelers during the Fourth of July. These are preventable deaths caused by the careless decisions of revelers who take the party too far. You don’t have to be one of their victims.

Published on: November 17, 2011

High Risk of Georgia Drunk Driving Accidents over Halloween

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Vampires and ghouls were not the only scary beings on the streets this past Halloween.Both pedestrian trick-or-treaters and motorists were at a high risk of car accidents involving intoxicated drivers on Halloween.The Governors Highway Safety Association warned of an increase in accidents involving drunk drivers in Atlanta over the holiday.

The Governors Highway Safety Association joined state and local highway safety agencies to crack down on drunk drivers.Local law enforcement officers ran an intensified campaign aimed at pulling drunk drivers off the streets before they caused an accident, and injure or kill someone. Drunk driving accidents result in a significant number of serious personal injuries and wrongful deaths.

According to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in 2009, close to 50% of auto accident fatalities that occurred on Halloween night involved a drunk motorist.In these cases, the motorist had a blood-alcohol concentration of .08% or higher. Every year, the period between 6 PM on October 31 and 5:59 AM on November 1 is a highly dangerous time for pedestrians, motorcyclists and drivers in Atlanta.

Published on: December 30, 2010

DUI Accident Risks Increase by 150% on New Year’s Holiday

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

One of the most serious and deadliest types of auto accidents is the DUI accident. Unfortunately, holidays result in a significant increase in DUI accidents. If Atlanta auto accident attorneys wanted more proof about the increased drunk driving hazards on New Year’s, the American Automobile Association has more evidence. According to a survey conducted by the AAA, a person’s risk of being involved in a drunk driving accident increases by 150% on New Year’s Day.

It’s never been a secret that drunk driving hazards increase over New Year’s, already believed to be one of the most alcohol-heavy holidays of the year. However, the AAA survey puts those hazards in grim perspective. If you are out driving over New Year’s this weekend, your likelihood of being involved in a fatal accident increases by 150%.

That number is not a joke. It’s very important not only to understand that driving under the influence is foolish behavior for you, but also to watch out for other intoxicated motorists around you. You may not be able to control other people’s driving behavior, but you can increase your own chances of surviving an accident. Wear your seatbelts, switch off your cell phones, and maintain low speeds as you drive over the New Year’s holiday. Avoid busy roads and highways over the holiday.

Published on: June 20, 2009

Fourth of July Crackdown to Prevent Drunk Driving Accidents in Georgia Begins Tonight

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Every year, the Georgia State Patrol increases patrolling and enforcement efforts around the Fourth of July to minimize the number of car accidents around the holiday. This year’s crackdown on drunk driving begins tonight.

The campaign Operation Zero Tolerance kicks off at 9 pm tonight, and will last through the fifth of July. It will include the participation of more than 500 police agencies in Georgia, all taking part in the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety “100 Days of Summer HEAT” initiative. Enforcement officers will be conducting additional patrols across Georgia highways, and will be cracking down especially hard on intoxicated motorists. The 100 Days of Summer HEAT initiative will run through the Labor Day weekend. The initiative includes crackdowns targeting drunk drivers, speeders, as well as motorists violating seatbelt and child safety seat laws.

Every year, we celebrate the declaration of our independence with great fanfare. We burst fireworks, and host barbecues. Unfortunately, the Fourth of July is also the single deadliest day of the year, with the maximum number of accidents occurring on this day. Between 1986 and 2002, an average of 161 people died in automobile accidents on Fourth of July.