St. Patrick’s Day is a time for celebration and parties in northern California and across the nation, with many choosing to celebrate the holiday with alcohol. While many have harmless fun during this day and enjoy the time spent with family and friends, many others make the reckless decision to drive drunk, putting not only themselves and whoever is in their car in harm’s way, but endangering the lives of anyone else around them.
To prevent drunk driving accidents this holiday weekend, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has offered advice to party hosts and guests to keep them from driving drunk and preventing other’s from doing so as well. Most importantly, prevent yourself from driving drunk by planning a safe way home before you go to the party and, if intoxicated, use a form of public transportation, a sober designated driver, or a sober ride program to get home safely.
Beyond keeping yourself from driving drunk, keep others from doing so by taking the keys away from those who try to drive after drinking, and do not hesitate to call the police when you see a possible drunk driver on the road. Make sure to stay away from other drivers that you may believe to be drunk, as these drivers can quickly cause a northern California auto accident that will endanger your life and anyone else in your vehicle. Many of these crashes can end in deaths, as well. According to the NHTSA, there were 103 fatal crashes on 2009’s St. Patrick’s Day, with 37 percent involving drivers with a blood alcohol content of at least .08 percent.
Whether it is on St. Patrick’s Day or any other day of the year, drunk drivers can cause serious accidents that injure even the most careful drivers and pedestrians. If you or a loved one has been injured by a drunk driver, our San Jose drunk driving injury lawyers can help you. For a consultation on your case by our skilled law team, call us today at (800) 900-0863.