Important Safety Tips to Avoid New Year's Eve Accidents

By Alexander D. Napolin, Esq. | December 27, 2019

Important Safety Tips to Avoid New Year’s Eve Accidents

As the festivities continue, it is important to remember to stay safe during one of the most dangerous days to drive in a year: New Year’s Eve. It is a night where more than 100 people die. It has the highest fatality rate of any major holiday in the United States due to primarily drunk driving. That’s why it is important to be cautious of New Year’s Eve Accidents.

Learn the Statistics behind New Year’s Eve Accidents

According to the National Safety Council, about 163 Americans die on the roads during the New Year’s holiday. In American culture, alcohol is associated with celebrations and festivities. On New Year’s Eve, alcohol consumption increases significantly. 1 in 6 adults in America binge drink on this holiday. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration claims that New Year’s Day is an especially deadly day for underage Americans. More than 40% of traffic accidents that led to serious injuries were caused by driving under the influence and 48% of deaths on the highway were alcohol-related. These accidents are much more likely to happen at night than during the day. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration provides that New Year’s Eve accidents are 4 times more likely to occur at night due to alcohol intoxication.

Tips for Safe Driving on New Year’s Eve

The holidays are filled with festivities and celebrations and fun. Acknowledging the dangers of drunk driving is the first step towards safety on New Year’s Eve. The following tips we provide with our clients to make sure they stay safe:

If you are drinking on NYE, do not drive, even if you consumed a small amount.
Make sure there is a designated driver in the group. If everyone is drinking, make sure to call a taxi, uber or lyft.
Do not let anyone get behind the wheel if they had anything to drink that night. And if you are unable to do so, call the police.
If you are suspicious that someone is driving under the influence of alcohol, make sure to call the police.
If you see a drunk driver on the road, slow down to increase the distance between your vehicle and his/hers.
Take extra care and caution when approaching intersections. If you suspect a drunk driver, let them proceed first.
It is better to pull over than stressfully driving to avoid a drunk driver.
Under no circumstance, do not engage with a drunk driver.
The safest thing to do, of course, is avoiding driving altogether.

Call California’s Best Auto Accident Injury Attorney

If you or someone you know has been a victim of a New Year’s Eve accident, you should call an attorney as soon as possible. If the accident was caused by a drunk driver, a DUI accident case will be filed. Otherwise, it will follow the usual procedure of auto accidents. Regardless of the accident took place, such cases can be complex and difficult to navigate. Insurance companies are always finding ways to avoid paying compensation settlements and awards. An experienced lawyer can help you gather important evidence and represent your interests against the insurance companies.