New Year’s Eve is always a cause for a celebration, but it’s also the most dangerous night of the year to get behind the wheel. The average number of fatalities from auto accidents jumps by 34 percent between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve due to the increase in drinking and driving. You and your loved ones may already have plans for the holiday, but now is the time to make arrangements to ensure everyone makes it home in one piece in 2019.
Our Baltimore DUI lawyer has these tips to help you stay safe this New Year’s Eve:
- Don’t Drink and Drive. This message is echoed on TV and radio commercials and all over our highways in Maryland and Virginia, but it can’t be said enough. If you vow not to drink and drive, you’re more likely to dial a friend or get an Uber or Lyft when you’re out celebrating. The adage of drinking one drink per hour doesn’t hold true when it comes to your blood alcohol content. If you have more than one drink, a rideshare, cab or designated driver is the best option.
- Be Smart. Eat plenty of food. Don’t overindulge in alcohol. Your wallet and health will thank you for it on January 1st. However, turning down that drink or shot can be difficult when you’re with friends and family you don’t see year-round, so remember to be smart and find alternate ways home to avoid a DUI ticket and getting arrested. You can pick up your car the next day. The inconvenience is worth it when the alternative is not making it home at all. These New Year's Eve DUI statistics may help convince you.
- Pick a Ride or Call a Sober Friend: Uber and Lyft have made drinking and driving less common as you can easily get a ride home within a few minutes in heavily-populated areas like Baltimore. Taxi cabs are still available in most places, but if you find yourself without the means to take either of these options, contact a sober friend for help.
- Get a Hotel Room or Crash With a Friend: When compared to the cost of a DUI and getting injured in a car accident, booking a last minute hotel room is inexpensive. One of the friends or family members with whom you’re ringing in the New Year may have a spare bed or couch available so you can sleep it off and drive home when you’re sober in the morning.
A DUI will upend your life and could permanently change or end someone else’s life. The Baltimore area is full of rideshare vehicles, taxis, and public transit. By making a New Year’s Eve transportation plan now, you can avoid a DUI, auto accident and catastrophic injuries.
Contact a Baltimore DUI Lawyer
If you or a loved one has been issued a DUI ticket in Maryland, our DUI lawyers can help. Contact Portner & Shure today at (410) 995-1515 for your consultation. We offer criminal defense, medical malpractice, and auto accident legal services to clients in Washington DC, Virginia, and Maryland.
