Knoxville Injury Attorneys Urge a Safe New Year

On December 5, 2012, the Director of the Tennessee Governor’s Highway Safety Office joined state and local law enforcement in an event honoring the memories of those who lost their lives to drunk driving in the state. HobNob Franklin reported on this event, which was part of law enforcement’s efforts to curb drinking and driving over the holidays.

Unfortunately, drinking and driving is rampant over the year-end holiday period, with Auto Guide reporting that New Year’s is the worst day of the year for drunk driving accidents. Our Knoxville personal injury attorneys urge every driver to remember how dangerous drunk driving is and to make sure to stay safe and sober on New Year’s and every other day of the year.

Drunk Driving a Holiday Risk in Tennessee According to Mothers Against Drunk Driving, 257 people were killed in accidents involving an intoxicated driver in Tennessee in 2011. While these 257 deaths occurred throughout the year, New Year’s is an especially dangerous day due to the large volumes of people on the road and the large number of those who choose to drive drunk. In fact, according to Auto Guide, nearly half of the drivers involved in fatal New Year’s crashes were intoxicated at the time.

Tennessee law enforcement is trying to cut down on the number of drunk driving accidents and injuries or deaths that occur over the holidays. The press conference to honor those killed by drunk drivers was just the beginning of their efforts. The Governors Highway Safety Administration, as part of their Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign, has also announced that there will be increased patrols as well as increased public safety announcements warning of the dangers of holiday drunk driving.

Stay Safe and Stay Sober Getting pulled over for drunk driving would be bad news, but getting into an accident and hurting someone would be even worse. To avoid both fates and to make sure you have a safe holiday:

• Either avoid drinking at your celebration or take a designated driver with you.
• Consider alcohol-free celebration events where you won’t have to worry about driving drunk.
• Have money for a cab and a phone number to call one in case you get stuck without a ride.
• Watch your friends for signs they might be drunk and make sure they don’t drive.

Parents of teenagers also need to take special steps to make sure their kids don’t drink and drive. Drive On recently published an article indicating that one in ten teens responding to a survey had driven while under the influence the prior New Year’s Eve. Be sure you check where your kids are going to be, confirm that they’ll be supervised, and offer to drive them yourself so they don’t get into a car with someone who is drunk.

If you are involved in a Tennessee car accident, contact Hartsoe Law Firm, P.C. for a confidential consultation to discuss your rights at (865) 804-1011. Additional Resources: NTSB’s Safety Wish List & Risks for Knoxville Drivers, Tennessee Injury Attorney Blog, November 16, 2012