Why the Holiday Season Means More DUIs

The holiday season should be a time for celebration, but for many, it is a time of tragedy. DUIs spike at the end of November and stay high until New Year’s Day. But what’s driving all these crashes, and what does it mean for your safety? To find out, we need to look at the problem with holiday DUIs.

Thanksgiving Trends

The end of November marks the beginning of the holiday shopping season, but it also marks the transition to an elevated rate of DUI-related crashes that comes every year. The day before Thanksgiving (also called Black Wednesday) is notorious for its high rate of DUI arrests, accounting for 2% of all annual DUI incidents in a single day. That difference represents a 38% increased risk of being in a DUI-related crash.

But Thanksgiving isn’t the only problem. As Christmas rolls around, DUI-related incidents increase again. It’s estimated there is an average of 2-3x more DUI crashes in December than any other month of the year. That translates to about 25,000 completely preventable crashes in December alone.

7 Days of DUIs

The overall rate of DUIs crashes increases by 48% during the week between Christmas and New Years Day. Not only that, the fatality rate is higher than average, with about 40% of these crashes ending in tragedy.

Much of this has to do with an increase in holiday parties. There are more social drinking events toward the end of the year which, in turn, means more DUI-related crashes. If you plan on going to any holiday party, remember to do your part. Drink in moderation and either rideshare to the event or appoint a designated driver.

Accidents caused by drunk driving are completely preventable, but they require that everyone take action to make good decisions and proactively choose to avoid situations that could endanger themselves or others. If you are conscious of this problem and take the right steps before the drinking starts, you can avoid any possibility of drunk or intoxicated driving.

To schedule a free consultation with an experienced Virginia car accident attorney from Portner & Shure, P.A., don’t hesitate to call (410) 995-1515 or send us an email.