St. Patrick’s Day is a holiday that provides many people with the opportunity to celebrate with friends and loved ones, whether they have Irish heritage or not. However, these celebrations often involve alcohol, and with so many people drinking while they are out and about, the likelihood that people will engage in drunk driving increases significantly. This may be a major concern in 2022, since the lifting of restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic may lead more people to drink alcohol while attending public gatherings after they have been unable to do so for the past couple years. It will be important for people to act safely and responsibly during the holiday, and those who are injured in car accidents because of other people’s negligence can work with an attorney to determine how they can recover financial compensation for their injuries.
Drunk Driving on St. Patrick’s Day
Even though the dangers of driving while intoxicated by alcohol are well-known, many people choose to do so, putting themselves and others at risk of injury. The rates of drunk driving tend to increase significantly on St. Patrick’s Day, leading to more car accidents and serious or fatal injuries to drivers, passengers, or pedestrians. In fact, 63 percent of all fatal car accidents that take place during the St. Patrick’s Day holiday involve drunk drivers. In 2019, the most recent year that statistics are available, 57 people were killed in accidents involving drunk driving.
Because alcohol consumption can significantly impair a person’s ability to operate a vehicle, it is important for all drivers who have been drinking to avoid getting behind the wheel and make other transportation arrangements. Drivers who choose to ignore the laws and drive after drinking may be affected in a variety of ways, including:
- Reaction time – Alcohol use can delay a person’s response to what they see, hear, and feel. Even if a person takes a fraction of a second longer to react to the movements of other vehicles or pedestrians, this may affect their ability to avoid a collision.
- Balance and coordination – Controlling a vehicle requires a person to use multiple parts of their body. Alcohol can affect a person’s ability to properly move their hands and feet, and it may also cause a person to become dizzy or unable to maintain the proper balance. These issues increase the likelihood that a person will lose control of their vehicle.
- Vision – Alcohol impairment may cause a person’s vision to be blurred, and it will also make a person more likely to miss important details. An inability to see properly will make a person more likely to collide with other vehicles, pedestrians, or objects.
- Judgment – Even a small amount of alcohol can affect a person’s ability to properly understand and consider the effects of their actions. This may lead a person to take risks or act in ways that are not part of their normal behavior, including driving unsafely.
Contact Our Appleton Drunk Driving Accident Attorneys
If you are injured in a car accident this St. Patrick’s Day, the attorneys of Herrling Clark Law Firm, Ltd. can help you take the correct steps to pursue compensation from a drunk driver. We will gather the necessary evidence to show that a driver was intoxicated and at fault for your injuries, including police reports and arrest records, as well as statements from witnesses or footage from traffic or security cameras. To schedule a free consultation and get legal help with your case, contact our Green Bay car accident lawyers at 920-739-7366.
Sources:
https://www.trafficsafetymarketing.gov/get-materials/drunk-driving/buzzed-driving-drunk-driving/saint-patricks-day
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