Stats Show December Is Not The Deadliest Month For Drunk Driving…BUT…

The month of December has been designated as National Drunk and Drugged Driving Awareness Month which provides everyone a good opportunity to refresh their memories on the dangers of this behavior and how it can very easily lead to a New Haven auto accident that results in the death of the driver, a passenger or others who are on the road at the time of this behavior.

There are some staggering statistics that may have a sobering effect on you, but there is one that is commonly misquoted and that is that the month of December has the highest rate of drunk driving deaths in the calendar year. In fact, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) the months that report the highest levels of drunk driving fatalities are June, July and August, the summer months.

This is not to say that there aren’t a dangerously high number of fatalities that result from drunk or drugged driving during the month of December, because the number of deaths that occur between December 24th and December 31st far outpace most other weeks on the calendar. The truth is that if even one person dies as the result of driving while under the influence of either drugs or alcohol that is too many and the behavior should be addressed and understood so it doesn’t continue to happen. Therefore it is important to understand how prevalent this behavior is and what you can do about it so you don’t fall victim to it in the future.

There are some important statistics you should know about drunk driving that will help inform your decisions when driving.

1.) Every 52 minutes there is an alcohol related death in the United States according to the NHTSA. That is more than one death per hour.

2.) There are over 10,000 auto accidents that result in a fatality each year.

3.) Nearly 1/3 of all auto fatalities occur because someone involved was under the influence of alcohol.

4.) Over 25% of all drivers who were seriously injured or killed in an auto accident had alcohol in their bloodstream at the time of the accident.

5.) Almost 3/4 of all alcohol related auto accidents and fatalities occur at night.

Knowing these statistics can go a long way to improving your decision making around the holidays if you’re planning on drinking when you go visit friends or family or head out for a holiday party at your office. Before you head out you should make a plan as to how you will be getting back home from wherever you are headed. If you have someone who is willing to be your designated driver that is the best thing you can do to plan ahead. Without someone in your party who is willing to abstain from drinking for the night you will need a plan to use a ride share service like Uber or public transportation to get you to and from your destination.

You should never drive under the influence of drugs or alcohol. If you do get behind the wheel of a car after consuming these substances you are putting yourself at a significant risk of getting into a New Haven auto accident that could end very badly. There are no greater risks that you are undergoing then getting into a vehicle after consuming alcohol or drugs. If you do this, you are putting yourself at risk of ending your holiday season horribly.

Accidents cannot be 100% prevented no matter how many precautions you take and therefore if you do get injured you may need to speak with an attorney who can review your situation. Contact our office and one of our experienced attorneys will review your situation and work with you to protect your long-term interests.