For most of us, the Thanksgiving holiday involves eating foods like turkey and stuffing, seeing old friends and family, and taking a nice long weekend from work. It also tends to involve more alcohol consumption than usual, which is unsurprising, as most of our celebrations involve beer, wine, and other alcoholic beverages. In fact, the correlation between Thanksgiving and imbibing with old friends has become so strong that the Wednesday before the holiday has become known as one of the busiest nights of the year in the food and beverage industry, as people flock to their hometown bars to catch up and share some drinks.
As a result, it’s critical that you are vigilant and stay on the lookout for drunk drivers on and around Thanksgiving. Doing so may save you and your loved ones from suffering an injury at the hands of an impaired driver. Some of the specific things you can do to reduce your risk of being hurt by a drunk driver include the following:
The most effective way to avoid drunk drivers is simply to stay home. Rather than heading to your local bar to meet up with friends and family, host a gathering at home. You can even invite your guests to stay to make sure everyone stays safe. As a host, however, it’s critical to be aware of the fact that you should be careful of how much alcohol you serve to your guests and that you should never let someone drive drunk if you believe they have had too much to drink.
Not surprisingly, people tend to drink at bars and restaurants, so it stands to reason that there will be a higher concentration of impaired drivers in areas like the Central West End, Soulard, or Ballpark Village. By avoiding these areas around Thanksgiving, you can reduce the risk that you will have an unpleasant encounter with a drunk driver.
You can also reduce the risk of involvement in a drunk driving accident by keeping as alert as possible – which means avoiding drinking and driving entirely. If you plan to drink, make alternative arrangements to get yourself to and from your destination.
Unfortunately, there is nothing you can do to completely eliminate your risk of involvement in a drunk driving accident, and there will almost certainly be crashes caused by impaired motorists in the St. Louis area this Thanksgiving weekend. In the event that you are hit by a driver that you suspect is drunk, there are certain steps you should take to protect your legal rights. These include:
If you or a family member are injured by a drunk driver this Thanksgiving or any other time of year, it’s in your best interest to contact an attorney as soon as you can. At Bruntrager & Billings, we will review the facts of your case at no cost to you and let you know whether we believe you will be able to recover compensation. To schedule a free case evaluation with a lawyer, call our office today at (314) 646-0066 or contact us online.
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