Planning on taking a getaway for Valentine’s Day weekend? The love bug is in the air, Valentine’s Day falls on a Saturday this year, and many will prepare to extend the fun for the entire weekend. Some may choose to hit the road to reach their travel destination. It is important to note that alcohol consumption rises on holiday weekends, and police are on high alert, searching for reckless or drunk drivers.
According to a study from BACtrack®, Valentine’s Day remains one of the most popular holidays for consumption, with some of the highest BAC levels recorded, just after New Year’s Eve and Super Bowl Sunday. Here are some tips to help you stay safe if you are planning on hitting the road this Valentine’s Day weekend.
- Have emergency contacts on hand.
Any time that you are traveling, it is always good to make sure that you have a friend or family member know your whereabouts and are available to answer your call should you find yourself in an emergency. If you find yourself in an unsafe situation, your car is no longer safe to drive, or you and your loved one have had too much to drink, you can arrange your emergency contact to come pick you up. - Consider a drop-off, taxi, or rideshare service.
No matter where you are heading, it may be worthwhile to consider using a taxi, drop-off service, or rideshare services such as Lyft or Uber. While you may have reasons for needing to have your car during your vacation, if all you need is to get from point A to point B, then perhaps you might find some benefit from calling a rideshare. That way, you can spend more time enjoying the festivities with your loved one, and less time worrying. - Don’t drive sleepy/drunk/distracted.
While this may be the most obvious point, you may be shocked to know how many people still take to the road and choose to drive drunk. This causes thousands of car crashes per year and puts people’s lives in danger. Worse yet, if caught driving under the influence, that person faces thousands of dollars in fines and possible litigation fees, license suspension, and slew of other negative consequences. It is always better to be cautious than not, especially if you know how serious the effects can be. - Can you limit your intake?
While it may be easier said than done, consider limiting your intake of alcohol. Even if you know how many drinks it takes for you to exceed the legal limit, there are so many other factors that contribute to this that might affect you, including how much you ate or the pace at which the drinks were consumed. - Beware of other drivers.
Remember that while you may be taking all the right steps to ensuring your safety, there are others who may not. Look for signs of dangerous or impaired drivers to keep yourself safe and to drive defensively. If you spot a possible drunk driver or reckless driver, call 911 and report that driver as soon as possible. You can help contribute to making the roadways safer on Valentine’s Day weekend.
If you want more information about how you can protect yourself from a car accident or drunk driving accident this holiday weekend, call George Sink, P.A. Injury Lawyers today !