Do Winter Holidays Encourage More Drunk Driving Crashes?

 Posted on December 10, 2024 in Car Accident

Many winter holiday celebrations include alcohol, with revelers sometimes deciding to drive after drinking. Others may experience depression during the holiday season, drinking as a way to relax or forget their worries for a time. Shorter, often overcast or gloomy days during winter can also cause depression, and driving in the dark can present its own challenges.

If a DUI crash injured you or took the life of a loved one, Newland & Newland, LLP can relieve part of your burden by handling your drunk driving accident claim. Speak with one of our experienced Arlington Heights, IL personal injury attorneys for more information.

Alcohol-Related Accidents Skyrocket in December and on New Year’s Eve

Alcohol is part of many New Year’s Eve festivities, with drunk driving crashes increasing significantly overnight. In fact, 42 percent of fatal accidents during the overnight hours of New Year’s Eve involve alcohol, representing a 208 percent increase over an average night. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that nationwide:

• In December 2022, there were 1,062 drunk driving fatalities.

• There were 281 drunk driving deaths during the Christmas to New Year’s timeframe in 2022.

• From 2018 to 2022, December drunk driving accidents claimed the lives of 4,759 people.

Despite the campaigns against driving while intoxicated or high, drunk driving remains a deadly issue in the Chicagoland area. For example, a man died in a DUI crash on December 3, 2024, in Chicago. The driver’s blood alcohol concentration was .374 percent, which is over four times the legal limit. On December 5, the Illinois State Police reported another driver charged with driving under the influence, who injured a state trooper who was outside his car during a traffic stop.

Injuries and Damages in Drunk Driving Collisions

Alcohol causes multiple impairments, adversely impacting a person’s ability to drive safely. Drunk drivers may drive erratically or recklessly and may not make evasive maneuvers to avoid a collision, often resulting in high-speed impacts and causing catastrophic injuries, such as:

• Spinal cord and brain injuries

• Multiple fractures

• Burns

• Concussions and whiplash

• Organ damage

Whether you are filing a personal injury or wrongful death claim, the compensation you could receive will likely include economic and non-economic damages, with eligible categories and amounts determined by the unique factors of your case.

Drunk Driving Is Negligence Per Se

This legal term means negligence by itself or on its own. In most personal injury cases, you must first prove negligence to establish grounds for your claim. Because driving under the influence is illegal, a driver may be automatically presumed negligent and liable for paying your damages. However, you are unlikely to secure full damages without the assistance of seasoned legal counsel.

Schedule a Free Consultation With a Rolling Meadows, IL Drunk Driving Accident Lawyer

Because of our many decades of experience, Newland & Newland, LLP can offer you multiple advantages as you pursue your drunk driving accident claim. Call us at 847-797-8000 or contact us online to discuss your case with our respected Palatine, IL wrongful death attorneys.