Summer is fast approaching and, along with it, longer hours of sunshine, more opportunities for celebration, and increased drug and alcohol use will all contribute to a rise in accidents involving intoxicated drivers. While DUI arrests are most common between the Thanksgiving Holiday and New Year’s Day – with New Year’s Day seeing the most accidents – Nearly 30% of all drunk driving accidents and fatalities occur in the summer.
There is an increase in drunk driving accidents from Memorial Day through Labor Day. The week leading up to July 4th sees the largest spike of these accidents. This week also sees, on average, the highest number of drunk driving fatalities each year.
Aside from holiday weeks, weekends see more drunk driving accidents than weekdays. Over 60% of these accidents occur between Friday and Sunday – and mostly at night. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that risks for an accident involving an intoxicated driver are 3.4x higher at night than during the day.
Keep Yourself Safe
You can help prevent drunk driving accidents by not driving while intoxicated. Call a rideshare, hail a taxi, use public transportation, or ask a sober friend for a ride. This is the most basic step you can take.
Drive defensively and pay attention. The more alert and responsive you are, the better your chances of avoiding an accident. And be sure to wear your seatbelt. If you are involved in an accident, having safety gear in place can help prevent serious injury.
Have You Been Injured? We May be Able to Help
Even the safest driver cannot always avoid an accident. If you have been injured by an intoxicated driver, you may be entitled to seek compensation beyond the offerings of insurance companies – even if the driver does not face criminal charges. The best way to learn if you have cause to file suit is through a one-on-one consultation with a qualified attorney.
Kline & Specter, PC has more than 50 attorneys, five of whom are also MDs, who have successfully handled all types of injury cases. Our major verdicts and settlements include millions in compensation for victims of motor vehicle accidents, and our firm is widely viewed as one of the most successful in the nation. If you have been injured, we encourage you to get in touch for a consultation where we can discuss your rights, your options, and the best course of action for your claim.
Kline & Specter maintains offices in Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey, and New York. We work with respected firms outside of these areas for cases in other jurisdictions.
