DUIs During the Holidays
DUIs During the Holidays
(Click on the image above to see a larger image and the details about DUI arrests).
The holidays are a time for gratitude in what we have, and to spend time with family, friends, and loved ones. That often means, for better or worse, drinking goes up. And where there is not good public transportation, like here in Orange County, DUI arrests also go up.
Thanksgiving Eve is a bigger drinking day than many other holidays.
The Saturday before Christmas is the biggest drinking day of the year in California, statistics show — bigger than New Year’s Eve, St. Patrick’s Day, or Cinco de Mayo. More importantly, because it’s mainly house parties and hosted company events, most people don’t plan for hotel rooms or transportation like they do during other dates.
Thanksgiving Eve is the start of the Holiday drinking period, and is called “Blackout Wednesday” by some. It is:
- A bigger drinking day than New Year’s Eve or St. Patrick’s Day;
- Especially prevalent among urban areas and among college students
- One of the top drunk driving nights of the year in some areas.
Alcohol Related Highway Deaths
As the above infographic shows, and as you might already know, highway deaths related to alcohol goes up. The average for most years is that 31% of highway deaths are alcohol related.
- For the Thanksgiving Holiday, 40% of deaths on the highway are alcohol related.
- For the Christmas Holiday, 37% of highway deaths are due to alcohol.
- For the New Year’s Holiday, 58% of deaths are alcohol related.
- And for the entire holiday season, the average is 40%.
Holiday Drinking Trends:
When interviewed, people revealed the following:
- 96% of people went to work hung over after a party, or know someone that did;
- 60% of people think alcohol makes a party more fun;
- 57% have seen people drive under the influence;
- 40% say they, their friends, and their family members use the holidays as an excuse to drink.
Holiday DUI Statistics
During the period of time between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day:
- 2-3 times more people die in alcohol related crashes;
- 1200 people will be killed; and
- 25,000 people will be injured in traffic accidents caused by alcohol.
- DUI Offender Drinking Violations
DUI Offender Statistics During the Holidays
When measured with a camera as part of their probation, those already arrested for DUI had violations most often during the holidays. Those statistics were as follows:
- Thanksgiving: 30%
- Christmas Eve: 33%
- New Year’s Eve: 155%
- Total Holiday Season: 33% (measured as the Wednesday before Thanksgiving to January 2).
Road Trips and Driving During the Holidays:
- 90 million Americans take road trips during Christmas and New Year’s
- Thanksgiving alone, 38 million Americans travel by car for the Thanksgiving holiday.
- 1 in 8 licensed drivers who consume alcohol say that they have driven when they thought they were close to, or over, a .08% blood alcohol level in the past year.
If you are in need, or are looking for, Orange County DUI Lawyers, contact our firm. We have a top rating and handle only DUI cases, and are happy to help with a free consultation.