December Is National Drunk And Drugged Driving Awareness Month

Throughout the year there are many different awareness month and some of the most important involve driving safety. In December, a month when many people are out celebrating with friends and family, it is important to acknowledge the dangers of drunk and drugged driving. Throughout this month we will be highlighting National Drunk and Driving Awareness Month both here, on our website, and on our Facebook account so you have all of the information you need to stay safe and avoid a New Haven auto accident this and every month.

As holiday parties and get togethers arise for you this month, you will want to make sure you approach them with joy, but also with caution as you need to take your safety into your own hands. If you don’t spend enough time making sure you’re taking the right steps to keep yourself safe you may wind up in a situation where you have to make split second decisions that could literally end up being life or death decisions without any chance to go back and change them once they are made.

If you are heading to a party or a get together and you are planning on drinking alcohol, this is the post for you. We will cover drugged driving in another post later this month, because while the two are joint in the awareness that we are trying to spread of them this month, they also both have their own sets of challenges and steps you need to take to make sure you are safe when you are out for the holiday season. Before you head out, make sure you read the following safety tips and get ready to have a joyous time while staying out of danger.

Tip #1: If you’re going to drink, moderate your drinking. The best way to do this is to alternate for every one alcoholic drink you have drink the same amount of water. While this will not “sober you up” like many believe, it will help you moderate the amount of alcohol you consume in a night which can help you make good choices and avoid getting so inebriated that you can’t stand, walk or think straight. When you get to this point you often make choices that can put you at risk of getting injured and put others you are with at risk as well which could take your holiday celebration from joyous to dangerous before you can even blink.

Tip #2: Along with consuming water, make sure you are also eating. Often people will go to a party and avoid eating at all because they either don’t want to be seen as greedy or they aren’t thinking about eating at the time that they are drinking and chatting with friends. Don’t let this happen to you. Drinking on an empty stomach can put you in a situation where you get drunk a lot faster than you normally would if you have a full stomach of food before you start drinking. You don’t have to go overboard on the amount of food you eat at the party, but making sure you eat something will help keep your stomach full and reduce the impact of the alcohol on your cognitive function.

Tip #3: If you are drinking at all, don’t get behind the wheel of a car. Even if you’ve only had a couple of drinks and don’t “feel” drunk, you are still going to want to avoid getting behind the wheel of any vehicle if you’ve had alcohol in your system that night. In 2023 there are plenty of ways to get home safely after you’ve been drinking without getting behind the wheel of a car. You can designate a driver and have that person be the one that gets everyone home safely. You can call an Uber or another ride share service that can pick you up when you’re done celebrating and drop you off at your home. You can even spend the night with your friend or family member if you cannot make it to either of the first two options. Whatever you do, don’t get behind the wheel. Stay safe and avoid drinking and driving at all costs.

National Drunk and Drugged Driving Awareness Month is not really something to celebrate, but it is something that does require our attention because if it were to save even one person from getting behind the wheel and getting into a New Haven auto accident as the result of driving while drunk or high, it is worth talking about. If you share this information you’re being a good friend or a good family member, not a nag, so spread the word and make sure everyone you know has a happy holiday season without putting themselves or others at risk of being injured in an accident.

If you do wind up getting injured you may need to speak with an attorney who has experience with the type of situation you find yourself in. Contact our office and one of our experienced attorneys will review your situation and work with you to protect your long-term interests.