Driving Drunk During the Holidays

The holidays are a time for traveling and for fun. Unfortunately, as holiday celebrations go, those two don’t always mix well. Christmas is nearing, the eggnog is already flying off the shelves, and with the roads getting more slick, it’s time for the yearly reminder of just how easily one can become too impaired to drive safely.It’s much easier than you may think—especially during the holidays. Last year, the US National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) reported that nearly half of all road accidents between Christmas and New Year’s Eve involved drunk drivers—12 percent higher than in previous weeks in December. A common mistake people make at any time, of any year, is assuming that just because they feel coordinated and clear-head, they are sober enough to drive. During the holidays, there is more drinking, more driving, and more people bound to make this mistake.The sedative effects of alcohol are sneaky and slow-acting, the NIAAA warns. The effects might not kick in until after you’ve been driving for a little while. You may not notice them at all. Either way, feeling “sober enough” doesn’t cut it when it comes to operating a multi-ton speeding metal bullet. That tiny bit of reaction time lost to the alcohol could mean the difference between life and death, especially in the winter time, when the threat of snow and ice, of having to swerve around obstacles or recover swiftly from slides, hydroplanes, and other dangerous roadway situations. On top of that, the streets during the holidays are flooded with traffic and, well, drunk drivers—at least more than usual.Don’t assume that because you had some drinks five hours ago, at 6 p.m., you’re good to drive. Those drinks can remain in your system all the way to the next morning. A hot cup of coffee won’t shew the booze away like a fly. If you’re headed with family to a cousin’s or friend’s place for Christmas this season, decide on a designated driver for the night, or make plans to stay over for the night.If you are concerned with your tendency toward over drinking during the holidays, making choices to drive drunk, or otherwise put yourself in dangerous situations when you’ve consumed alcohol, The Last Resort can help. Don’t let holiday cheer be the beginning of a criminal drinking record. Contact us today.