Authorities Prep for the Most Dangerous Holiday Driving Weekend- Fourth of July

Fourth of July Holiday Weekend Tends to Be the Most Dangerous Driving Weekend of the Year

The summer is flying by and Fourth of July weekend is fast approaching.  When we celebrate the Fourth, it also means there may be some people who choose to get behind the wheel after driving.

While never a good choice to drive after drinking, authorities are preparing to strictly enforce no drinking while driving on the highways and waterways.

Naperville, Illinois

In Naperville, Illinois, authorities are going to be out in force and stated “Don’t even think about drinking and driving this Fourth of July–or you will be arrested”, said Sgt Derek Zook. “The ‘Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over’ campaign means zero tolerance for drunk driving — no excuses.”

In addition to looking for drunk drivers, Naperville Police will be looking to enforce seat belt enforcement, particularly at night when seat belt usage rates are at their lowest. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data shows that young drivers (18-34 years of age) are more at risk of driving drunk. NHTSA says that 58 percent of the drivers 18-34 years old who are killed over July Fourth period in 2014 were driving drunk.

Motorcyclists are also overly represented as the highest percentage of alcohol-impaired drivers in fatal crashes near St Louis.  In 2014, more than 25 percent of motorcycle drivers in fatal crashes had BAC’s of .08 or higher

Fourth of July Fatalities

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the Fourth of July holiday has the highest number of road fatalities per year, with the second highest rate of alcohol related crashes among holidays.  Approximately, 41 percent of deaths of the 4th of July weekend involved high BAC

Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving

If you’ve watched television in the last week, then you’ve more than likely seen the public service announcements about buzzed driving.  It is not by coincidence as safety groups want to begin to prepare drivers across the country to make smart decisions about driving during the holidays.

Drunk driving kills someone in America every 41 minutes.

Every 41 minutes?  That statistic alone should be sobering. Each of us must plan our Fourth of July activities and equally plan your safe, sober transportation to and from the celebration.  Many will travel to one of the lakes in Missouri or Illinois in an effort to cool off and celebrate with friends and family.  Barbeques and cold ones are Fourth of July favorites–just be sure you have a sober driver.

Remember the “sober” driver is the NOT the person who is “least” drunk but the person who has not had anything to drink.

We’ve all been in that argument at the end of an alcohol evening. If you are having that argument with your friends at the end of the night, then that is a sure sign that NO ONE should be driving.  The Fourth is a time of celebration and fun, so please don’t make it your last ride or someone else’s through dumb decisions.  Dealing with a DUI is an ordeal in of itself, but dealing with a drunk driving crash is a life-altering decision.

You need to have a safe plan BEFORE you begin your celebration.

Involved in a Motor Vehicle Crash?

If you or a family member has been injured in a car crash near St Louis, you should at the very minimum consult an expert car crash attorney at least once if not several times.  You should arm yourself with information before speaking with any insurance company. hrefIf you are hurt, the chances are pretty good you actually need to hire a personal injury attorney to be certain everything is done to maximize your compensation that you will need for medical bills and lost wages.

Our attorneys can be reached seven days a week, (314) 276-1681