Planning Safe Way Home From Holiday Parties Can Prevent Fatal Car Accidents

Christmas week is here and Georgia residents are busy with Christmas and New Year's Eve parties and last minute shopping. While this is a wonderful time of year filled with joy and happiness for many, it is also a time with high car accident rates and tragedy for others. The brutal weather that has hit Atlanta has only exacerbated the high accident risk associated with increased drinking and driving during the holidays. While public education campaigns, more aggressive enforcement of DUI laws, and stiffer DUI sentences have helped reduce drunk driving, many people still have a sense of invincibility and will choose to get behind the wheel of a car and drive home from holiday parties.

At Montlick and Associates, Attorneys at Law, we have spent over 39 years representing auto accident victims and their families who are trying to put their lives back together after fatal alcohol related car accidents. We have provided this article to implore residents in the Atlanta area and throughout Georgia to follow a few simple steps to prevent these needless tragedies and make it a happier holiday season.

While enormous strides have been made in preventing driving while under the influence of alcohol, it remains a leading cause of car collision fatalities. Drinking and driving still accounts for approximately 32% of car crash fatalities resulting in the tragic deaths of almost 12,000 people annually. Drunk drivers kill over 400 people per year in Georgia alone. Over 1.4 million drivers were arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol or narcotics annually which amounts to less than one percent of the 159 million self-reported episodes of alcohol-impaired driving among U.S. adults annually. These statistics show that despite concerted efforts to reduce the risk posed by drunk drivers, driving under the influence of alcohol is still a serious problem.

All statistics and studies confirm that drunk driving accident rates increase significantly during holiday seasons. Most people drive to and from Christmas or New Year's Eve parties, which typically involve a night of drinking and partying. Far too many people attend these parties without planning for a safe way home and leave these parties without a designated driver. Unfortunately, this lack of responsible planning frequently results in a drunk driving accident that can cause life-altering catastrophic injuries and fatalities. These auto accidents affect not only the car accident victim, but also their families and loved ones. Alcohol related traffic accidents can leave car accident victims with permanently debilitating injuries including brain damage, spinal injuries and paralysis which can result in accident victims suffering a lifetime of pain, rehabilitation and permanent disability.

Drunk driving accidents are completely avoidable with just a little bit of planning. If you are planning to attend a holiday party, these suggestions below can help you avoid serious car accidents and save lives:

• If you are going to a party as a group, pick a designated driver.

• If you do not have a designated driver, call a taxi, friend or use public transportation to get home.

• When observing a drunk driver on the road, call 911 immediately.

• You should assist friends and family members who have been drinking get home safely.

• Drivers should slow down and pay extra attention when driving this time of year.

• If you cannot arrange an alternate safe way home, drink non-alcoholic beverages.

• Do not get in the car with someone who has been drinking.

These easy common sense tips can save countless lives and prevent a lifetime of pain. Your chances of getting into a fatal car accident this holiday season increases with every sip of alcohol you consume. Consuming any amount of alcohol will impair your judgment and affect your ability to drive a motor vehicle safely. Alcohol negatively impacts one's body and driving ability in a number of ways:

• Alcohol significantly slows reaction time.

• Drivers tend to be sleepy and less aware of their surroundings.

• Excessive alcohol consumption often results in blurred vision.

• Alcohol consumption impairs judgment and decision making.

Montlick and Associates, Attorneys at Law, implore everyone to work together to keep the holidays a time of joy and happiness. Tragic car accidents resulting in catastrophic injuries and fatalities are no way to experience the holiday season. Unfortunately, some will continue to roll the dice and cause serious drunk driving accidents. If you or someone you loved is seriously injured or killed by a drunk driver, we can help you seek the compensation to which you are entitled. Our Georgia drunk driving accident attorneys are available to assist clients throughout all of Georgia, including but not limited to Albany, Athens, Atlanta, Augusta, Columbus, Dalton, Gainesville, Macon, Marietta, Rome, Roswell, Savannah, Smyrna, Valdosta, Warner Robins and all smaller cities and rural areas in the state. Call us today for your free consultation at 1-800-LAW-NEED (1-800-529-6333) or visit us on the web at www.montlick.com. No matter where you are in Georgia, we are just a phone call away, and we will even come to you.