When many people in Florida think about drunk driving problems and holidays, it is likely holidays like New Year’s Day or the Fourth of July that may pop up in one’s mind as the time when more drunk drivers are on the road causing accidents and even killing innocent people. While certainly these holidays are associated with gatherings at which alcohol is commonly served followed by people generally driving themselves home, some statistics show that there is actually another holiday more deadly on U.S. roads due to drunk drivers.
According to information provided by the United States Department of Transportation, it is actually Thanksgiving that sees more people lose their lives at the hands of people who will not either put their drinks down or hand their keys over to someone else. In the five years spanning from 2012 through 2016, more than 800 people died over the course of the Thanksgiving holiday period. This period spans 84 hours starting at 6:00 p.m. on Thanksgiving eve.
Out of all of the days and times during the Thanksgiving weekend, it is actually the Wednesday night on which the highest number of drunk driving deaths are recorded. In 2017, it is estimated that nine of out every 10 people who will travel for the holiday will do so by motor vehicle. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is planning to launch an aggressive campaign promoting alternatives to drinking and driving in the hopes that more lives will be saved.
Florida residents who may be involved in accidents caused by drunk drivers might want to talk with a lawyer to learn how they might seek help after such an experience.
Source: The Drive, “Thanksgiving is the Deadliest Holiday on U.S. Roads,” Kate Gibson, November 17, 2017