On average, more than a third of all fatal auto accidents during Memorial Day weekend involve drunk drivers. While Memorial Day was founded as a day to remember those who have served our country in the military, it is best known by many as the holiday that gives us a three-day weekend at the unofficial start of summer. Due to the high rate of drunk driving accidents during Memorial Day weekend, the police have a heavy presence on New Jersey’s roads, and DUI enforcement is a top priority.
Don’t become a statistic this Memorial Day.
During Memorial Day weekend, everyone needs to do their part to help keep the roads safe. This means being responsible if you choose to drink, and it means getting a safe ride home instead of getting behind the wheel. With Memorial Day right around the corner, each New Jersey DUI defense lawyer at Helmer, Conley & Kasselman, P.A. is here to share some tips for New Jersey residents to follow to avoid causing a serious or fatal accident as a result of being drunk behind the wheel:
10 Tips to Avoid Causing a Fatal DUI Accident This Memorial Day
1. Get a Ride if You Plan to Drink
If you are going out with the intention to drink, get a ride instead of taking your own car. That way, you will have no choice but to get a safe ride home. Ride with a designated driver, take an Uber or Lyft, or call a taxi. All are equally good options that will prevent you from putting yourself and others in a dangerous situation on the road.
2. Give Your Keys to Someone Else
If you drive yourself, give your keys to someone else when you get to your destination. Choose someone you can trust to assess your level of impairment and force you to find a ride home if you are too drunk to drive. Do not choose someone who may be drinking excessively too. If the person who is holding your keys has impaired judgment due to alcohol consumption, he or she won’t be able to make the right decision on your behalf.
3. Drink Responsibly
If you plan to go out and drive yourself, commit yourself to drinking responsibly. Set yourself a limit and stick to it. Keep in mind that just a couple of beers can impair your driving ability, and on average, it takes about an hour to get one drink out of your system. The more you drink, the longer you will have to wait after drinking before it is safe for you to drive.
4. Plan to Spend the Night
If you are planning to attend a house party, consider spending the night. The host will almost certainly be more than happy to have you, and they would much rather have you on the couch than on the side of the road facing the consequences of a serious or fatal DUI accident. Spending the night also avoids the need to find a ride home and eliminates any pressure to drive yourself.
5. Don’t Drink Alone
If you drink alone, you won’t have anyone around to stop you from getting behind the wheel if you get too drunk to drive. Having too much to drink impairs your decision-making ability, and you won’t be able to accurately assess your own level of impairment. As a result, while you might think that you are okay to drive, you could still be putting yourself at risk of causing an alcohol-involved accident.
6. Eat and Drink
Eating while drinking slows your body’s rate of absorption. This means that you won’t get drunk as fast (if you drink to excess), and you will be able to return to a condition in which you are safe to drive more quickly. It also means that your decision-making ability won’t be impaired as quickly, which will help prevent you from unknowingly consuming more than your body can handle.
7. Avoid Riding With Someone Else Who Has Been Drinking
You should never get in a car with a driver who is drunk. But, riding with a drunk driver while you are also drunk can be especially dangerous. If your driver realizes he or she is too drunk to drive and pulls over, you do not want to be in a position where you might put yourself behind the wheel.
8. Don’t Assume Things Will Be Okay
Many drunk driving accidents happen because people assume everything will be okay. They assume that they will find a safe ride home, or they assume that they will be able to get themselves home safely despite having too much to drink. When you are dealing with alcohol, it is always better to be safe than sorry. Have a plan, share your plan with a friend or family member, and stick to it to keep yourself and others safe.
9. Pull Over Immediately if You Notice You are Impaired
If you find yourself behind the wheel and realize that you are too drunk to drive, you should immediately pull over in a safe place. Not only can this save you from a DUI, but it can also save you from altering or ending someone else’s life.
10. Take a Night Off
Finally, consider taking a night off. While enjoying alcohol responsibly can make for a fun night, it is equally possible to enjoy Memorial Day weekend without alcohol. Whether you make the decision not to drink for yourself or arrange an alcohol-free weekend with friends or family, you can feel good knowing that you are taking care of your body while also keeping at least one drunk driver off of the roads.
Contact a New Jersey DUI Defense Lawyer at Helmer, Conley & Kasselman, P.A.
If you get arrested for drunk driving over Memorial Day weekend, a New Jersey DUI defense lawyer at Helmer, Conley & Kasselman, P.A. can help you avoid unnecessary consequences. To schedule a confidential consultation, call 877-435-6371 or contact us online today.
Over 20 attorneys at HCK have extensive experience in defending DUI and criminal cases as they were former assistant prosecutors and/or police officers for a combined total of over 600 years of law enforcement experience. You can find out more about them on our site, and you can call Managing Partner Ron Helmer on his cell phone at 609 685-0665.
