According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Association (NHTSA), on average, approximately 28 percent of December car collision around the country involve drunk drivers. Unfortunately, this number increases to 40 percent on Christmas and New Years making alcohol and holiday travel a dangerous and sometimes fatal combination.
The percentage of fatal traffic accidents involving alcohol is highest over New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, according to the NHTSA, though the percentage is just a bit lower for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. The NHTSA includes both car crashes and motorcycle accidents in its percentages.
Although the number of fatal accidents caused by drunk drivers has dropped steadily since 1982, thanks in part to increased awareness of the danger of drunk driving as well as to increased police patrols and other safety measures. On the other hand, the number of fatal accidents involving a drunk driver still seems to rise around the December holidays. Even though the overall number of accidents has gone down, half the accidents that do occur on Christmas or New Year’s still involve drunk drivers, according to the NHTSA.
To protect your self, you may want to consider crafting a holiday plan that limits your need for driving on those particular days in general. You can also help protect yourself and your loved ones first by never driving while drunk or “buzzed” and never allowing a friend or family member to do the same. Call a cab or choose a designated driver who will be sober the entire night.
If you have been injured in a car crash, give us a call at Atlanta Personal Injury Law Group - Gore at 404-436-1LAW.