December is the time for holiday cheer – and that cheer includes office parties, New Years’ Eve bashes, and family get-togethers. These events are often the joyful celebration of another year, but when the drink flows too freely, and winter weather ices up the roads, the drive home can become treacherous. This year, December has been named National Drunk and Drugged Driving Prevention Month, to increase awareness about the hazards of drunk driving.
Driving under the influence includes even having one or two beers at your office party, New Jersey DUI lawyers warn. In fact, in order to drive legally, your blood alcohol level must be under 0.08%—the equivalent of 9 ounces of wine for a 120-pound woman, or a little more than four beers for the average 180-pound man. Even if you set a limit for the night, open bars and hosts generous with the refills may skew your perspective on how much you consumed before you start the drive home.
Texting and driving can also impair your ability to reach home safely, especially if you’ve already been drinking. Winter roads can be slick with ice, and residential roads are not always well lit for nighttime driving, both of which can easily throw off a slightly tipsy driver. If your attention is further distracted by your cell phone or iPod, you are more likely to hit ice you didn’t see, or look up to find yourself over the yellow line.
National Drunk and Drugged Driving Prevention Month highlights the importance of driving safety not only in December, but throughout the upcoming new year. Its movement emphasizes the danger of driving under any influence—drugs, alcohol, loud passengers, texting, and the like. New Jersey DUI lawyers say that being charged with a DUI can change your entire future, and avoiding drunk or distracted driving is the first step towards protecting yourself from a permanent record or criminal charges.
As we celebrate the holiday season, your New Jersey drunk driving attorneys at Helmer, Conley, and Kasselman remind everyone to stay safe on the winter roads and to party smart.
