How To Avoid Holiday DUIs

African American handing over car keys while drinking

The holiday season is a busy time filled with shopping, year-end work events, and parties with family and friends. Every year, from Thanksgiving to New Year’s, Connecticut police officers work to reduce the prevalence of holiday drunk driving tragedies by increasing their presence on the road. This also means more people will be stopped and ticketed for Driving Under the Influence. So what can you do to avoid holiday DUIs?

Avoiding a Holiday DUI

By following these safety tips, you can preserve your safety and the safety of your passengers and other drivers and avoid holiday DUIs.

Plan Ahead

Avoid holiday DUIs by making a plan and sticking to it. If you plan to attend a holiday party and there will be drugs or alcohol there, designate a sober driver, or leave your keys at home and plan to use a rideshare service at the end of the night.

If you are the designated driver, stay sober so everyone in your vehicle gets home safely. If your plans change and you do consume alcohol or drugs, do not drive. Find a new way to get home safely.

Speak Up

Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol changes the way the brain evaluates risk and responds to hazards. Unfortunately, this means it can be an uphill battle to convince someone who had too much drink that they shouldn’t drive. If you host an event, ensure your guests won’t be driving under the influence by taking their keys away before they start drinking or making sure they have made alternate arrangements to get home safely.

If friends or family members are about to drive while under the influence, you may need to take the keys away and help them make plans to get home safely. And if you see someone on the road who appears to be impaired, call the police immediately. You could save the life of the drunk driver and others who share the road with them.

Make Other Arrangements

Having a designated driver is ideal, but finding one isn’t always easy. If you don’t have a designated driver, make other arrangements to ensure your safety. This could mean hiring a rideshare service, staying the night with family or friends, or booking a hotel so you have adequate time to recover and don’t get behind the wheel when you are under the influence.

Drive Defensively

Even if you haven’t been drinking, other drivers on the road might have been. There are more intoxicated drivers on the road than you think, especially during the holidays. Protect yourself and your passengers by driving defensively, paying close attention to the vehicles around you, and expecting the unexpected. If you see someone driving recklessly, respond accordingly.

Don’t Drive Under the Influence of Drugs or Alcohol

You may think it’s ok to have one drink. But remember, if you feel different, you drive different. Any amount of drugs or alcohol can impair your driving and create the risk that you could be charged with a holiday DUI. Avoid holiday DUIs by not drinking and driving.

Maintain Your Vehicle

Don’t let your vehicle be the cause of a holiday DUI. Be sure your vehicle is well-maintained and complies with all applicable requirements. You don’t want to be pulled over for a missing tail light or a broken turn signal only to have a police officer smell alcohol on your breath or drugs in the car and arrest you for a holiday DUI.

Sleep It Off, but Not in the Car

Sleeping it off is the only way to truly recover from a night out. In some cases, choosing to sleep it off is your best option. But if you choose to sleep it off, don’t do it in your car. If a police officer sees you and investigates, you could still face holiday DUI charges. If a police officer detects alcohol on your breath and your keys are in the ignition or your lap or your engine is warm, the police officer can charge you with DUI, even if the vehicle wasn’t moving and you were asleep when the police happened by.

Charged with Holiday DUIs? The Lebedevitch Law Firm Can Help.

The holiday season should be a time of joy and celebration, not tragedy due to DUI incidents. By being proactive and taking responsibility for yourself, your passengers, and your guests, you can reduce the risk of a holiday DUI, or worse.

If you or a loved one is arrested for DUI during the holiday season. The Lebedevitch Law Firm, LLC, can help. Contact us today by calling (203) 307-5760, emailing stephen@leb-law.com, or completing our online form.

Categories: DUI