As we approach Thanksgiving weekend and the start of the holiday season, it is wise to remember that Thanksgiving also marks the beginning of the holiday drunk driving season. Surprisingly, the increased risk of drunk driving does not start on Thanksgiving Day, rather the spike in holiday drinking actually begins on the day before Thanksgiving and it has lead to the day being given dubious nicknames such as “Blackout Wednesday” or “Drinksgiving.”
More Drivers on The Road
A company responsible for monitoring repeat drunk driving offenders recently reported that in urban areas the number of drunk driving incidents spikes as much on Thanksgiving Eve as it does on other holidays known for drinking such as New Year’s Eve. The upcoming surge in drunk driving incidents on Thanksgiving weekend is made all the more serious by the fact that lower gas prices mean more people will be on the road than there have been in the past decade. The Ohio Department of Transportation expects more the 2 million Ohioans will travel at least 50 miles from home during Thanksgiving weekend, which will be the busiest volume since 2005.
How Does Law Enforcement Handle This
Law enforcement is well aware that incidents of driving above the legal limit will increase over the Thanksgiving holiday. While the Ohio State Patrol has not yet announced their plans for this year, you can expect that a similar or even larger amount of resources and manpower as last year will be devoted to DUI enforcement over this Thanksgiving weekend.
In 2015, there was a surge in OVI/DUI arrests in comparison to 2014 as the 498 arrests over the Thanksgiving weekend represented an 11.2% increase over 2014. With even more people expected to be on the roads this year, the number of Thanksgiving weekend DUI arrests could soar even higher. Local law enforcement agencies also increase their presence on the roads during Thanksgiving weekend, ensuring that drivers throughout Ohio will notice an increase in DUI enforcement.
Be Aware of DUI Checkpoints
When celebrating with your family and friends it can become easy to lose track of how much you’ve had to drink. You may end up heading home on a busy highway with the Ohio State Patrol stationed at frequent intervals, or driving through a local DUI checkpoint. So as you prepare your Thanksgiving plans, be sure to remain aware of the dangers of drunk driving and the increase in DUI enforcement throughout the long holiday weekend.
How a Cincinnati Criminal Defense Lawyer Can Help
If you find yourself facing OVI charges over the Thanksgiving weekend or any other time, you need an attorney with extensive experience handling drunk driving cases who understands the charges you are facing and the best way to defend you.
Attorney Brad Groene of Luftman, Heck & Associates is a Cincinnati criminal defense lawyer who has represented hundreds of OVI clients over the years and has worked hard to achieve the best possible outcome in each case.
Contact Luftman, Heck & Associates to get the help that you need. Call (513) 338-1890 to set up a free and confidential consultation.
