Celebrate Thanksgiving with Turkey, Cranberry Sauce, and a Dollop of Caution

Happy Thanksgiving! With a storm that is plaguing much of the country and expected to interrupt travel plans for millions of Americans, at the Law Offices of Aronberg & Aronberg we sincerely hope that you get to your destination safely and on time, so that you may enjoy the Thanksgiving holiday with those you love.

With the winter holidays are indeed a time to celebrate and rejoice with family and friends, fun can quickly turn into mayhem when proper precautions are not taken. As it turns out, Thanksgiving Day and the days immediately surrounding the holiday are notoriously days (and nights) on which individuals drink excessive amounts and operate their vehicles while intoxicated.

According to this Sun Sentinel article from last year, the Wednesday before the holiday is often called “Black Wednesday” and even “Blackout Wednesday” by bar owners who know the drinking habits of their patrons. What could be the cause for the spike in dangerous drinking around the holidays? The fact is, during this time, many friends regroup from being away at school, many families rejoin after months apart, etc. When harmless mingling turns into dangerous partying, though, the fun stops and the door for fatal accidents swings wide open.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, DUI crashes jump by roughly 30% during the Thanksgiving holiday as compared to the rest of the year. That means nearly 1/3rd more drunk driving accidents take place, seriously increasing the risk of negligent deaths.

When drink to a point at which you are intoxicated, whether you think you are drunk or not, and you get behind the wheel of a car, you make the conscious decision that jeopardizes the lives of countless other individuals that share the road with you. When you drive drunk, you are not only breaking a law; you are not only endangering yourself; you are risking the lives of those around you.

Alcohol has a serious effect on our ability and speed to make judgments, interpret sights and sounds, and react to a given situation. When you drink and drive, as alert as you might believe you are, the fact of the matter is that the alcohol takes its toll on how your brain functions; though you may have your hands on the wheel, those hands are not necessarily in control of the vehicle, because they are operated by a brain that is severely incapacitated when under the influence of alcohol.

In anticipation of increased dangerous drunk driving during the holiday weekend, Florida law enforcement units are planning on increasing the amount of DUI patrol officers working and DUI checkpoints present, starting on Wednesday, to ensure that the roads are as safe as possible over the long holiday weekend.

From our families to yours, we wish you a safe and enjoyable Thanksgiving weekend!

Been hit by a drunk driver, seek consultation from experienced DUI attorney today.

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