Thanksgiving Road Safety 2020

The Thanksgiving holiday is a time associated with fun and family celebrations, and it’s also a time of year when a lot of us allow ourselves to overindulge a little. And while it’s perfectly understandable and mostly harmless to overdo it with food (although your waistline may not thank you), over-imbibing alcohol over the winter holidays is another story.

In fact, while some fondly refer to the Wednesday before Thanksgiving as “Thanksgiving Eve,” first responders and others sometimes know it as “Blackout Wednesday.” With people returning home and celebrating with old friends and family, this day has become one of the biggest drinking nights of the year.

In fact, according to Upserve (a company that makes restaurant point-of-sale software) beer sales on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving in 2016 increased by 270 percent, and hard liquor sales increased by 114 percent.

More people, more chances for danger on the road

The American Automobile Association (AAA) reports that even though travel by automobile is predicted to fall this year thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, as many as 50 million drivers in the U.S. will take a road trip during the Thanksgiving long weekend.

Couple that with the increased alcohol consumptions around the Thanksgiving holiday, and you have a recipe for DUIs, accidents and deaths – with drunk driving accidents accounting for nearly one-third of fatalities during the Thanksgiving-day period.

What are the best ways to avoid alcohol-related accidents?

Whether you plan to enjoy a night on the town or a visit with friends and family members at a close gathering this Thanksgiving, a little forethought and preparation can go a long way toward preventing an accident or worse.

Here are a few simple ways you can protect yourself and others:

1. Choose a designated driver

Choose someone in your group who agrees to stay sober and make sure everyone gets to and from the festivities safely. Designated drivers remember – there is no safe number of drinks behind the wheel, even one or two alcoholic beverages can lead to impaired driving.

2. Take public transportation

If you’re heading into the city for a night out, chances are you can catch a bus or train to get there. It may not be the most glamorous way to travel, but it has its perks. In addition to being a safe option, it’s also one of the most affordable ways to get where you need to be before and after a fun night.

3. Use a rideshare app or call a cab

No matter where you are, you can probably use a rideshare app like Uber or Lyft, or you could even call a local taxi service. If you plan on doing the latter, it may be a good idea to save the number ahead of time – that way you don’t have to look for it later after you’ve had a couple drinks.

Drive defensively and take caution behind the wheel

If you still plan on taking to the road around Thanksgiving, you’re not alone. But it’s important to keep in mind that even if you follow the rules and stay sober, there will always be others who don’t. That’s why it’s so important to take every precaution and drive safely.

Make sure to always:
• Wear your seatbelt.
• Maintain a safe distance from cars ahead of you.
• Take it slow at intersections and always yield to oncoming traffic.
• If you see someone driving erratically, get out of their way. If they are endangering your safety or others, get to a safe place and report it to law enforcement.

If you’re injured in a drunk driving accident, GreeningLaw P.C. can help

Thanksgiving should be memorable for the right reasons, and if you follow the above tips, you stand a much better chance of staying safe this holiday season. That said, drunk driving car accidents happen, leading to lasting physical and/or mental consequences for anyone unlucky enough to be involved.

If you or a loved one has been injured as a result of a drunk driving accident, you’re entitled to fair compensation – for things like pain and suffering, lost wages, medical bills and more. That’s why it’s so important to hire a lawyer with the experience and the expertise necessary to hold negligent drivers responsible for the consequences of their actions.

At GreeningLaw P.C., we’re one of the most recognized personal injury law firms in the state of Texas. Our personal injury attorneys have years of experience investigating and litigating drunk driving accidents. We also work on a contingency basis, meaning you don’t owe us a thing unless you get compensated for your case.

When you contact us, GreeningLaw P.C. will provide you and your family with practical, caring support from your free initial consultation to the settlement or trial of your case.

Contact GreeningLaw P.C. today and we’ll help you get through this.