New Year’s Eve Drunk Driving Kills
It is no secret that alcohol and driving is a lethal combination. One bad decision can lead to death, injury and destruction, not to mention a lifetime of regret. Nothing says Happy New Year better than the pop of a champagne. Combine that champagne toast with an open bar and you have a potentially devastating mix.
Alcohol use slows reaction time and impairs judgement and coordination, all skills needed to drive a car safely. Plus, weather conditions this time of the year can often be treacherous. Snow, ice and freezing rain make roads dangerous for even the safest of drivers.
New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day continue to be days clouded by drunk driving accidents and deaths. There is a huge spike in the number of automobile crashes between December 31st and January 1 due to alcohol and drugs. In fact, 48 percent of highway deaths on New Year’s Eve are alcohol-related, reports Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD).
An average of 118 motorists are killed every New Year’s Day, according to statistics compiled by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
On Long Island in particular, last year police issued tickets for 58 drunken-driving violations over the New Year’s holiday. Among those arrested in Suffolk was a Ronkonkoma man who struck a bicyclist in Islandia. Before going out this New Year’s, MADD recommends designating a driver who will not drink. Other tips include:
- If possible, spend the night at a friend’s or family member’s home.
- Be responsible. Never allow someone who has been drinking to get behind the wheel.
- When hosting a New Year’s party, arrange for transportation for guests who have been drinking. Hosts can be held responsible if someone leaves their home and kills or hurts someone in an alcohol related collision.
- If a friend or family member appears to be impaired, take their keys away to prevent that individual from getting behind the wheel of a car.
- Call the police if you see what appears to be an impaired driver on the road. It’s better to get the police involved than to let a possible car crash occur that you could have prevented.
- Coffee will NOT sober you up. Many people believe that the caffeine in coffee will speed up the alcohol’s metabolism thus sobering you up. NOT TRUE. Coffee may help you wake up, but will not sober you up and does not reduce your blood alcohol level The only cure for intoxication is time. If you need to get home and don’t have time to wait, get a ride from a sober driver, an Uber or a cab.
The most important New Year’s resolution you can make is to stay safe. One of the best ways you can do that is by not drinking and driving.
If you, or someone you care about, has been injured or has been involved in a drunk driving accident, contact Rosenberg & Gluck, personal injury attorneys, for a free and confidential legal consultation to learn more about your options.
All of us here at Rosenberg & Gluck wish you and your family a happy and healthy New Year!
