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We all know how dangerous it can be to be on the road during the holidays because of the higher numbers of drunk drivers. Some people think that the only option to avoid getting into a crash is to stay home during the holidays, but there are other options.
This blog offers tips about the holidays and drunk driving: what we all can do to avoid serious accidents. If you get injured in a motor vehicle collision during the holidays or at some other time, a Los Angeles personal injury attorney can help you pursue the compensation you deserve from the at-fault driver.
Do Not Drive if You Are Buzzed
As the television ads say, buzzed driving is drunk driving. The pleasant “buzzed” feeling a person can experience after a couple of drinks is a signal that the alcohol has slowed the reflexes and reaction time needed to drive safely. There are many options available now that were not always available in the past, and some people drive when they probably should not have because they simply needed to get home after a party or a night out.
Now, the options in this situation include the following:
- Calling for an Uber or another rideshare service.
- Calling a taxi.
- Renting a party bus with friends for a night with multiple destinations.
- Getting a ride from a friend.
- Having the party at your house so that you do not have to drive home.
- Limiting your alcohol consumption to one or two drinks, early in the event, with food.
- Spending the night at a hotel or in a spare bedroom at the house where the event took place.
- Seeing if any taxi services offer free rides on special nights that tend to have a large number of drunk driving crashes.
You might have additional options in your area. For example, many hotels offer party and lodging packages on New Year’s Eve.
Stay Off the Roads at High-Risk Times
Many crashes involving impaired drivers during the holidays happen very late at night. One way to decrease your odds of having an accident is to plan your driving around that reality. The most dangerous hours are between midnight and 3 o’clock in the morning, so you might want to reach your destination before then.
Give Wide Berth to Vehicles with Suspected Impaired Drivers
We have all seen them – drivers that we think might be drunk. You will want to leave a great deal of distance between your car and theirs.
If a driver clearly is a danger to people who are walking or other drivers, you might want to make a note of the license plate number and the make, model, and color of their vehicle. Another valuable piece of information is the direction the vehicle is traveling.
If you can do so safely, pull over and call the police, sharing your information with them. Calling the police might prevent an accident that could have taken someone’s life.
You can talk with a Los Angeles personal injury attorney at no charge if you or a loved one get injured in a car accident. We could help you seek compensation for your wounds and other losses. Contact our office today.