Driving under the influence (DUI) charges can ruin someone’s weekend. In some cases, they may turn the most exciting holidays into an anniversary of an embarrassing and expensive mistake or misunderstanding.
People headed home after holiday get-togethers with family or friends are at especially high risk of getting arrested for DUI offenses. Technically, the same rules apply regardless of the date. However, there may be more law enforcement professionals out watching for drunk drivers around the holidays. Officers may also be more likely to jump to conclusions about a driver’s impairment on holidays and the weekends closest to them.
What inspires increased enforcement activities during times of widespread celebration?
Many celebrations involve alcohol
Adults celebrating New Year’s Eve typically stay up until midnight to watch the ball drop. They kiss their partners or spouses at midnight and enjoy a host of sparkling wine. On Christmas and Christmas Eve, people may enjoy desserts made with rum or drink spiked eggnog.
Beers and cocktails abound on Thanksgiving, especially during the meal and when watching football afterward. The widespread use of alcohol to mark major holiday celebrations is a well-known phenomenon that influences law enforcement priorities around the holidays.
Fatal crashes increase around major federal holidays
Holidays become the anniversary of a tragedy for some people. New Year’s Day and Thanksgiving tend to see more of an increase in reported drunk driving fatalities than Christmas, but all holidays generally have a noticeable uptick in drunk driving deaths.
Law enforcement agencies typically use statistics to guide their operations. It is common for police departments to significantly increase enforcement efforts on the holidays themselves and the weekends closest to the major federal holidays. Confirmation bias can then influence how police officers treat people that they suspect of drunk driving.
Those arrested on allegations of a holiday DUI offense may need help as they start preparing to defend themselves. A review of the state’s case can be an important component of a successful DUI defense strategy. Questioning test results, showing that a traffic stop was inappropriate or providing alternate explanations for certain behaviors could all help people avoid potentially life-altering DUI convictions.
Defendants who seek strong legal guidance and support when responding to holiday DUI arrests and subsequent charges can limit the chances of major consequences over what might simply be a misunderstanding.