Getting Home Safely This Fourth of July Weekend
Fourth of July weekend is a great time to celebrate with friends, fireworks, hot dogs and more often than not, alcohol. With DUI numbers on the rise, Dan Rhodes from Driver Advisors, provides some helpful tips to make sure you and your loved ones can have an enjoyable and safe holiday weekend.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there’s an alcohol-impaired death somewhere in the U.S. every 51 minutes. This statistic jumps dramatically during holiday weekends.
“Holiday gatherings that involve alcohol can become very dangerous when driving is involved,” explains Rhodes. “Nearly 550 drunken drivers were taken into custody on Memorial Day weekend alone. If you plan to drink this weekend, make arrangements to avoid driving. Impaired driving puts everyone at risk.”
Below are some more helpful tips on how to avoid drinking and driving:
• Encourage party hosts to offer non-alcoholic beverages for those who will be driving.
• You should also have the numbers of local cab companies handy.
• Be prepared to take a guest’s car keys if he or she has had anything to drink.
• Make sure you have a designated driver.
• Whether you’re the designated driver or a passenger, be sure to buckle up. Not only is it the law, it’s the best thing you can do to protect yourself should you be involved in a crash.
“Not only do you want to keep yourself and others safe, you also don’t want to get slapped with a DUI conviction,” reminds Rhodes. “A DUI conviction can cost more than $7,500 in fines, penalties, restitution, ignition interlock fees, legal fees and increased insurance costs – definitely not worth it.”
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