‘Drive sober or get pulled over’ this holiday season
California police often crack down heavily on drunk drivers over the holidays by participating in the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign, and this year is no different.
As we discussed in a past article on our website, safety officials say that drunk driving incidents may increase by as much as eighty percent over the holiday season thanks to booze-filled celebrations, which often results in a spike in fatal drunk driving accidents in the state.
In fact, in December 2012,there were 830 people in the United States killed in accidents involving at least one driver with an alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 or higher. Sadly, 26 of the deaths happened on Christmas Day.
In order to combat these unneeded tragedies, there will be increased DUI enforcement in the state between December 1 and January 1, 2015, including additional officers on the roads, sobriety checkpoints and saturation patrols.
Officers will not only be looking for drivers who are under the influence of alcohol, but also drivers who are under the influence of illegal and prescription drugs.
While most people who choose to drive drunk don’t mean to cause anyone harm, serious and fatal drunk driving accidents happen all too frequently. These accidents not only deprive California residents of their loved ones, they result in significant consequences to the drivers.
Drunk drivers face liability in criminal as well as civil personal injury and wrongful death lawsuits. For all of these reasons, driving drunk is simply not a risk worth taking this holiday season. Remember: Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over.