Thanksgiving DUI: Pennsylvania DUI Statistics and Information
With the holiday season quickly approaching, it is a good time to start planning ahead so that you avoid getting a Thanksgiving DUI. Below are some Pennsylvania DUI statistics and information that will hopefully help keep you from getting behind the wheel after drinking this Thanksgiving and holiday season.
In December of 2014, the NHTSA put out a report that outlined the statistics related to drunk driving in Pennsylvania. It revealed that in 2013 there were 1,208 fatal car accidents in the state. Approximately 30% of these accidents involved a drunk driver. That is, a who had a blood-alcohol content that was at or above the legal limit of .08 percent.
Pennsylvania law enforcement officials will continue to take an aggressive stance to deter and prevent drunk driving accidents and increase public safety. In particular this Thanksgiving and holiday season, with the use of saturation patrols and DUI checkpoints:
Saturated Patrols
Law enforcement officers will be out in full force. There will be an increased presence of officers in areas known for high incidents of drunk drivers and accidents. They will likely have a zero tolerance policy in effect, which means that they will be strictly enforcing all traffic laws. So if you are even going slightly over the speed limit, do not completely stop at a stop sign, have a tail or headlight out, then you can expect that you will be pulled over. By strictly enforcing all traffic laws, it gives law enforcement the opportunity to come face to face with drivers that may be impaired. The goal is to make more Thanksgiving DUI arrests.
Thanksgiving DUI Checkpoints
The Thanksgiving holiday weekend is the most traveled weekend of the year. There will surely be a “historic” number of Thanksgiving DUI checkpoints this year. This is mainly due to the high numbers of drunk drivers on the road during this period of time for the past several years. DUI checkpoints have been held to be constitutional as they advance the interest of public safety and have been proven effective in reducing the number of drunk drivers on the road.
Some online sources publish the locations of DUI checkpoints on their websites and you may even see people on social media posting where specific checkpoints are located throughout Pennsylvania. Don’t count on these reports as law enforcement know that this is occurring and they often change the locations without warning. So it is best to just not drink and drive.
Stay Safe This Thanksgiving
There are plenty of options to avoid getting behind the wheel after drinking. The best solution is to plan ahead. Stay at the location where you are drinking, have a designated driver, or utilize a ridesharing service like Uber or Lyft. You may even call a tow truck to ensure that you and your vehicle make it home safely. The penalties that you may face for drinking and driving range depending on whether you injure or kill someone. You may even lose your own life. Stay safe this Thanksgiving.
Fiore & Barber, LLC understands that people make mistakes. We know that there will be drinking and driving this Thanksgiving and that people will be arrested and charged with driving under the influence. Although we encourage you not to drink and drive, if you do and find yourself in trouble with the law, give our Thanksgiving DUI attorneys a call. We know the law when it comes to DUI and can often reduce the penalties or have the charges dismissed.