Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
Every year, New York law enforcement steps up efforts to stop drivers from driving drunk or drugged. New York law enforcement agencies are supporting a national campaign that declares December as National Drunk and Drugged Driving Prevention Month.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, about 36 people die each day in traffic crashes involving an impaired driver. Another 700 people a day are injured in crashes involving a drunk or drugged driver.
Holiday Surge
Research by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) shows that DWI deaths rise significantly during the holiday season. A study of DWI fatalities from 2001 to 2005 showed that the numbers of fatalities rise to about 45 per day around the Christmas holiday and surge to 54 per day around New Year’s Eve.
Those numbers are exactly why police departments across New York and the rest of the nation increase their efforts to seek out and arrest people suspected of driving under the influence of alcohol, prescription drugs or illegal drugs, making use of sobriety checkpoints and other enforcement tactics.
The Numbers Don’t Lie
- The NHTSA says three out of 10 Americans will be involved in an alcohol-related collision in a car, truck, SUV or motorcycle in their lifetimes.
- Nearly one-third of all traffic-related fatalities involve DWI drivers.
- Approximately 1.4 million Americans are arrested each year for driving while intoxicated by alcohol, prescription medications or illegal narcotics.
Avoiding DWI Arrest
- The most obvious way to avoid DWI arrest: don’t drink and drive and don’t get behind the wheel if you’ve taken drugs that can impair your ability to drive.
- Don’t let friends drive while impaired by alcohol or drugs.
- Use a designated driver for holiday parties.
- If you’re hosting a holiday celebration, remind guests to designate a sober driver and don’t be afraid to take the vehicle keys from anyone who has been drinking alcohol.
If you are accused of DWI, contact a New York DWI defense lawyer experienced in effectively protecting clients from harsh DWI penalties.
New York Law Enforcement Agencies are supporting the national campaign to declare December as National Drunk and Drugged Driving Prevention Month. This article is brought to you by Larkin Ingrassia, PLLC.