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Drunk Driving a Threat on New Jersey Roads During the Holidays

This article looks at accidents caused by drunk driving in New Jersey, especially during the holidays.

The holidays are a great occasion to spend time with friends and loved ones. All that celebration, however, also means that there is also often an increase in drinking. Sadly, the holidays are also a time when drunk driving tends to increase and when serious car accidents caused by impairment wreck havoc on New Jersey’s roads and highways. Staying safe during the holiday season is important and knowing how risky drunk driving is can help reduce the danger for everybody on the road.

Drunk Driving and the Holidays

As USA Today reports, car accidents often increase around the holidays for a number of reasons. One reason is that many people choose to drive to visit relatives or go on family vacations during such times. Certain holidays, such as Thanksgiving and Christmas, tend to attract an especially large increase in people going on long road trips. All of that increased traffic creates more opportunities for accidents to happen.

For some holidays, however, the risk of drunk driving adds an extra danger. Around New Year’s Day, for example, drivers are far more likely to be intoxicated while behind the wheel compared to any other major holiday. Alcohol was a factor in 42 percent of fatal accidents around New Year’s Eve between 2007 and 2011, for example, compared with just 35 percent during Christmas.

Drunk Driving in New Jersey

As NorthJersey.com reports, the danger from drunk drivers is serious in New Jersey and police are increasing their enforcement efforts for the holiday season. About 22 percent of traffic deaths in New Jersey are caused by impaired drivers and in 2013 alone there were 122 deaths due to drunk driving. Nationally, drunk driving killed more than 10,000 people in 2013.

New Jersey law has strict punishments for people who choose to drink and drive. Penalties can include fines, jail time, and suspended licenses for first-time offenders. Repeat offenders may be ordered to install ignition interlock devices inside their vehicles, which help prevent impaired drivers from being able to start their car’s ignition.

Personal Injury Law

A crash caused by drunk driving is not an accident; rather, it is a choice that recklessly endangers the lives of everybody else on New Jersey’s roads and highways. Anybody who has been hurt by a drunk driver is likely to be feeling both anger and confusion about their ordeal. Fortunately, a personal injury attorney can help accident victims. While pursuing financial compensation cannot undo the trauma of an accident, it can help victims as they try to recover from their ordeal, including by helping to take care of the added burden of medical bills and lost income.

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