Thanksgiving Holiday is a Dangerous Time to Be on the Roads
Thanksgiving is a special holiday to gather with friends and family, count our blessings and of course, eat a delicious meal. Yet, this holiday can be one of the worst times for families who lose loved ones to increased incidents of drunk driving. Tragically, more than 800 people died from 2013-2017 in alcohol-related crashes during the Thanksgiving holiday period.
Thanksgiving Eve, often referred to as “Blackout Wednesday,” is one of the most dangerous times of the year to be on the road. Bars have reported a significant increase in the sale of hard liquor and beer (114 percent and 270 percent respectively) on the night before Thanksgiving, also increasing the number of those who drive under the influence.
To compound matters, fifty-one percent of drunk drivers say they drink more during the holidays than the rest of the year and 90 percent of those traveling do so by car. The combination of these factors often proves deadly.
A Dangerous Time to Be on the Roads
Although the number of those driving drunk has decreased over the past several years, it remains that one-third of all fatalities during the Thanksgiving holiday period involved drunk drivers.
In 2018, there were 587 crashes and nine fatalities during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend in Missouri. This period was counted from the night before Thanksgiving through that Sunday. In 2017, there were 400 crashes and 15 fatalities during that time.
Thanksgiving should be a time of celebration, and no family should lose a loved one due to someone else’s decision to drink and drive.
It’s important to remember before planning a night out to have a designated driver, or use a ride share app to help ensure you and your loved ones arrive home safely. We hope that by taking caution, everyone can enjoy the Thanksgiving holiday, safely.
The Goss Law Firm, P.C. Can Help If you or a loved one has been injured in drunk driving accident, The Goss Law Firm can help. To learn more or to schedule a FREE consultation, call the Kansas City Lawyers at the Goss Law Firm at 816-527-8658 today.
