Which Holiday Has the Most Drunk Driving Accidents?
You may be wondering which holiday has the highest number of drunk driving accidents. While Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve see a relatively low number of crashes, between the two holidays, drunk driving accidents skyrocket. That’s because holiday parties usually involve alcohol and traffic is much higher than usual. Drunk drivers account for about 40% of fatal accidents during this period.
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Independence Day
While many people will be celebrating Independence Day with friends and family, drivers should take extra precautions to avoid becoming a victim of drunk driving accidents. Several statistics show that the weekend around July 4th is one of the deadliest times of year for drunk driving accidents. The holiday is especially dangerous because of the spike in alcohol consumption.
According to the National Safety Council (NSC), alcohol-related crashes on Independence Day account for about a fifth of all traffic fatalities. Although the numbers are still high, it is worth noting that there were fewer fatalities last year. In 2013, there were 512 fatalities in traffic crashes over the holiday weekend. Of those, nearly 40 percent were the result of alcohol-impaired driving.
Christmas
The holiday season is a deadly time for drunk driving. Thousands of people are killed each year, mainly due to drunk driving. This is because people tend to drink more alcohol than normal during these festivities. Crash fatalities during the holiday season increase five times more than the average. Thanksgiving and Christmas have historically been the most deadly holiday weekends, with both seeing a spike in fatal crashes.
However, this is not the only time of year when drunk driving crashes are most common. Researchers have found that drunk drivers are more likely to be behind the wheel between Christmas Day and New Year’s Day, and these increases coincide with the peak holiday traffic. The holidays increase the risk of car accidents and fatalities, as people are traveling to visit friends and family. Furthermore, road conditions are more dangerous during this time.
New Year’s Eve
While Christmas is the season with the fewest fatalities due to drunk driving, the number of fatal accidents caused by drunk drivers increases steadily from December through January. 40% of all fatal car accidents between Christmas and New Year’s are caused by drunk drivers. In 2018, there were 285 preventable deaths during this holiday season. More people are out celebrating the holidays and attending holiday parties, so there are more opportunities for drunk drivers to get behind the wheel.
Alcohol can impair your reaction time, coordination, and decision-making. As a result, even one drink can make you less capable of driving safely. Therefore, it is best to designate a designated driver and plan to stay at the party rather than drive. If this is not possible, take public transportation or use ride-sharing services.
Labor Day
The Labor Day holiday is a time of year when drunk driving accidents are higher than normal. According to AAA, about 35 million people are expected to travel this holiday weekend, and many of those people will be driving. In Ohio, more than one person died due to drunk driving last year. Over the past two years, there have been more than 176 drunk driving accidents in the state.
Law enforcement agencies are increasing their efforts to curb the number of drunk drivers on the roads this Labor Day weekend. This “Maximum Enforcement Period” will take place from 6:01 p.m. on Friday and last until 11:59 p.m. on Monday. These efforts will help to reduce fatal alcohol-impaired driving crashes.
Halloween
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recently released statistics regarding the number of drunk driving accidents that happen on Halloween night. They found that drunk driving crashes were most common from six p.m. on Oct. 31 to 6 a.m. on Nov. 1. The report also found that younger people are at greatest risk during Halloween night, with twenty-one to thirty-four-year-olds making up the majority of affected age group. Additionally, pedestrians were at risk – one out of every three pedestrian fatalities on Halloween night involved a drunk driver.
The NHTSA found that drunk drivers were involved in nearly half of fatal crashes on Halloween night. While this rate is incredibly high, the number of pedestrian fatalities is not. While drivers who drink may be more likely to hit a pedestrian, pedestrians must also pay close attention to the rules of the road and be vigilant when crossing streets. In addition, pedestrian deaths are also a concern because one out of four pedestrian deaths happen on Halloween night, with most victims being children.