Injuries in Holiday Drunk Driving Crashes

The end-of-year holidays are a festive period. Many people take the time to celebrate with eggnog, mulled wine, or champagne during the season. While some do this responsibly, others do not and end up driving drunk, becoming a danger to themselves and others sharing the road.

Even if you make safe choices, other drivers might fail to do so. If a drunk driver hits you and you suffer injuries, reach out to an Austin DUI victim accident attorney for help right away.

As the agency does every year during the holiday season, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is once again partnering with law enforcement in your area to spread the messages: Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over and If You Feel Different, You Drive Different — Drive High Get a DUI. This important and timely campaign runs from December 18 through January 1 and is intended to educate people about the dangers and consequences of driving drunk or high. The campaign also lets the public know or reminds everyone that law enforcement in your area will be stepping up patrols to get impaired drivers off the roads.

Dangers of Holiday Drunk Driving

Not that drunk driving is any different in its consequences during other times of the year, but given the proclivity for more people to drink and drive during the holidays, it is imperative to remind everyone what the dangers of drinking and driving are, and they are many, including the following.

According to the latest available statistics, holiday season alcohol-impaired fatalities in a recent year comprised 37 percent of total traffic fatalities, as compared to 29 percent total fatalities for all times during the year. Moreover, according to the National Safety Council, the average number of traffic deaths during New Year’s Day over the last five years was nearly 68 percent more than the average number of traffic fatalities during non-holiday periods.

Injuries from Holiday Drunk Driving

Some of the types of injuries sustained by drunk driving car accident victims include the following:

1. Traumatic brain injuries (TBI)
2. Spinal cord injuries
3. Internal organ damage
4. Internal bleeding
5. Nerve damage
6. Paralysis
7. Amputation
8. Death

Things to Do to Avoid Drunk Driving Accidents

The easiest and simplest thing to do to avoid drunk driving consequences is to simply not drive while drunk. NHTSA has good tips for getting home safely without driving, and one of these is planning ahead.

If you have been invited to a holiday event you plan to attend, make smart choices and plan on how you are going to return home safely after that gathering comes to an end. If you are the designated driver, make a commitment to be 100% sober to keep you and those who have entrusted you with their lives safe.

If you notice an impaired driver on the road, contact local law enforcement right away. Doing so without any hesitation could save the impaired driver’s life, those riding in his or her car, and others on the road. And, if you see a friend or relative who is about to drive impaired, try to take away their keys and assist them in arranging to get home safely.

Let an Austin DUI Victim Accident Attorney Help

At Terry & Kelly Injury Lawyers, we help accident victims recover compensation for their injuries and losses. If you are injured by a drunk driver during the holidays, contact our office for a free consultation.