As Fort Myers accident attorneys, we urge drivers to celebrate responsibly this St. Patrick’s Day. This means if you plan to drink any green beer, you should also plan to designate a sober driver or rely on public transportation.
While St. Patrick’s Day festivities have grown in recent years, they have also become more dangerous, due to an increase in drunk driving accidents. Overall, two-fifths of all accident fatalities on the holiday involve an impaired driver. Statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety also show that over 700 people were killed nationwide in crashes involving drunk drivers during the St. Patrick’s Day holiday during the period from 2006 to 2010. There were 129 lives lost in 2010 alone.
To keep everyone safe, we encourage drivers to consider the following safety tips:
- Plan a safe way home before the festivities begin.
- Before drinking, please designate a sober driver and leave your car keys at home.
- If you’re impaired, use a taxi, call a sober friend or family member, or use public transportation so you are sure to get home safely.
- If available, use your community’s sober ride program.
- If you happen to see a drunk driver on the road, don’t hesitate to contact your local law enforcement.
- And remember, if you know people who are about to drive or ride with someone who is impaired, help them make other arrangements to get to where they are going safely.
- If a friend is drunk and wants to drive, encourage him (her) not to, even if it means taking his (her) keys away.
Source: NHTSA
The Dellutri Law Group is focused on making bad situations better and putting lives back together. If you or someone you love has been seriously injured in a Fort Myers accident caused by someone else’s negligence, you may be entitled to compensation. To learn more about your legal options, contact our experienced Fort Myers injury attorneys for a free consultation.