During the holiday season, there’s plenty of Christmas cheer — and much of that comes in a cup. Mulled wine, hard cider, coffee with a little Kahlua or Bailey’s Irish Creme thrown in is in the offerings wherever you may go.
All that extra “holiday spirit” adds up to one thing: an increase in drunk driving accidents.
What else drives the rise in drunk drivers during the holiday season?
It isn’t just the fact that alcohol has traditionally been a part of holiday celebrations that leads to an increase in drunk drivers. Experts say that there are several different factors that come into play:
- People who don’t normally drink very much are more likely to imbibe, and they have both a lower tolerance for alcohol and a harder time knowing their limits.
- People may cave to peer pressure and indulge when they didn’t intend to do so, which means that they may not have made alternative plans in advance to get home safely.
- People who do tend to drink too much are likely to drink even more simply because it’s more socially acceptable at this time of the year to do so.
Altogether, that adds up to a big problem for every driver on the road.
What can you do if you’re the victim of a drunk driver?
When a drunk driving accident happens, your top priority should always be making sure that you get the medical care that you need. Once you’ve attended to your injuries and the immediate danger has passed, you can turn your attention to claiming the compensation you are due. An experienced attorney here in Asheville can help.