Fourth of July One of Deadliest DUI Days on the Calendar
We can all agree that the 4th of July holiday is a time when some of the best parties are thrown in the largest cities in America. Huge parties to celebrate our Independence Day are held throughout our country from Philadelphia, New York, and Los Angeles to Washington, Atlanta, and Charlotte. However, it is not only the large cities that know how to celebrate July Fourth . . . in Erie, Edinboro, Warren, Penn State, Bradford, Meadville, Crawford, Conneaut Lake, and throughout Northwestern Pennsylvania, Pennsylvanians will be celebrating Independence Day the only way we know how to celebrate — with style!
During our July Fourth celebrations, many people will participate in parades, festivals, carnivals, backyard cookouts, block parties, and other festive events that include lots of great music, delicious food, and thirst-quenching beverages. In many of these festivities and celebrations, drinking alcohol is customary. However, if you choose to consume alcohol, you should give your keys up, stay to enjoy the party, and leave the driving to someone else. Drinking is a great responsibility and driving is an even greater responsibility.
July Fourth is a Dangerous Time for Drinking and Driving
It is estimated that hundreds of people will be killed and thousands more will be injured in drunk driving accidents over the July Fourth holiday weekend. Last year, the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety (IIHS) ranked Independence Day as having the highest number of traffic-related deaths than any other day of the year. July Fourth is especially dangerous for motorcyclists who have an average of 26 deaths on that one day compared to an average of 12.1 deaths on normal days.
Don’t ruin a promising great holiday or vacation by choosing to drink and drive. If you choose to drink during the 4th of July holiday celebration, take these precautionary measures:
- As drivers, if you partake in partying and want to drink, please do so responsibly.
- Make a conscious decision about your plans when it comes to drinking.
- When there are ideas for heavy drinking pre-plan with a driving service.
- If it all possible do not drink alone, have someone you trust with you.
- Know your limits.
- Know that it is never too late to back out or tell someone that you are impaired.
- Have a favorite five stored in your cell phone under emergency contacts.
- Local transport services are available 24/7, seven days a week, contact Uber, a taxi, or a friend to drive you safely home.
- If you leave your car at a bar, club, restaurant or event talk with a manager about overnight parking.
- Make it home safely; know that nothing is more important than that. Whatever it is, it can wait.
Drivers should consider every life on the road, streets, and highways including their own before they get behind the wheel of a motor vehicle. Better decisions and choices must be made when it concerns drinking and driving during the July Fourth holiday weekend. Your life and the lives of all others on the road is too important to throw away because of a drink. Don’t leave a family with the heartache and pain of losing a loved one because of a DUI accident. Choose not to get behind the wheel of a car if you feel you are impaired. Make the right choice, a conscious decision to not drink and drive.
Contact an Erie DUI Accident Attorney
If you are charged with DUI or if a drunk driver causes an accident, you need an experienced Erie DUI attorney to help you. We don’t judge — we just fight for your legal rights under Pennsylvania’s personal injury laws and DUI criminal laws.
Contact The Travis Law Firm toll-free at (800) 401-2066 to schedule a free legal consultation with one of our attorneys.