Black Wednesday is one of the most dangerous days of the holiday season. Occurring the day before Thanksgiving, this day is known for a dramatic uptick in serious and fatal crashes caused by drunk drivers. Fortunately, there are several safety tips you can use to prevent drunk driving accidents throughout Thanksgiving and the holiday weekend.
While we recommend abiding by the five Black Wednesday DUI and car accident safety tips below to avoid a serious crash and criminal charges, there’s always a chance you’ll make a poor judgment call and get behind the wheel while intoxicated. If that happens, a DUI lawyer from Los Angeles will defend your rights, helping you fight felony charges and avoid life-altering consequences.
Tips for Preventing DUI and Car Accidents on Blackout Wednesday
Blackout Wednesday, the night before Thanksgiving, is known for its high occurrence of DUIs and related car accidents.
With festivities in full swing, it’s crucial to prioritize safety and responsibility to prevent these incidents. This list provides practical tips for avoiding DUIs and ensuring a safe Thanksgiving weekend.
1. Avoid Drinking
Abstaining from alcohol consumption might seem like the simplest Blackout Wednesday DUI and car accident prevention tip, but it is by far the most effective. If you plan on driving to a bar, gathering, or holiday party, not drinking or limiting your consumption to one drink can protect you from a devastating drunk driving crash as well as criminal charges.
2. Have a Designated Driver
If you plan on going to a party or gathering with friends, have a conversation with them before you go out about who will be the designated driver.
Having a designated sober driver who can abstain from drinking and give everyone in your party a safe ride home is another safety tip that could prevent you from causing a serious DUI car accident on Blackout Wednesday.
3. Utilize a Taxi or Rideshare Service
Taxis and rideshare services like Uber and Lyft offer an easy way to get around town without driving your car. Using one of these services is also a great way to improve safety and avoid a DUI car accident on Blackout Wednesday.
If you plan on going out to a party where you expect you’ll consume alcohol, download a rideshare app or save a taxi service number in your phone before you go out.
That way, you can easily call a ride to your location when you need to go home and won’t be tempted to drive under the influence of alcohol.
4. Spend the Night at a Friend’s House
If you drive to a friend or family member’s house and consume alcohol on Blackout Wednesday, another simple safety tip that can prevent a DUI car accident is to stay the night at their house.
Doing so can allow you to sober up and drive home safely when you wake up. That way, you can avoid causing a serious motor vehicle crash and won’t have to answer to criminal charges.
5. Don’t Cave In to Peer Pressure
While most people think of peer pressure as something that teens and college students deal with, it can also affect adults. If you drive to a party that you don’t plan on drinking at, you might find that your friends or family will pressure you to have a drink with them.
It might seem tempting to appease your friends and go along with their request, but doing so could result in you driving home with a blood alcohol content above the legal limit. If you feel overwhelmed by the pressure to drink, it might be best to remove yourself from the situation and go home early.
Standing strong against peer pressure can stop you from causing an impaired driving accident or even a drunk driving death on Blackout Wednesday.
What to Do if You’re Facing DUI Charges After a Blackout Wednesday Car Accident
Despite the five Blackout Wednesday DUI and car accident safety tips listed above, your impulses may get the best of you and lead to an unsafe decision.
If you’ve been arrested for an alcohol-related crash and charged with driving under the influence (DUI), you might be unsure how to defend yourself from some of the serious consequences that drunk drivers often face.
An experienced DUI attorney from Los Angeles will build a case on your behalf and work hard to protect you from severe penalties.
Here’s what a lawyer can do to win your DUI case:
- Investigate the alcohol-impaired driving crash
- Speak with witnesses and gather valuable pieces of evidence
- Build a strong defense on your behalf
- Negotiate with prosecutors to reach a favorable plea bargain deal
- Use evidence to undermine the prosecution’s arguments and challenge the arresting officer’s testimony
- Fight to get your charges dropped or reduced in court
- Offer legal advice and answer your questions from the beginning of your case to the end
Meeting With a DUI Lawyer in Los Angeles Is Free
While the five Blackout Wednesday DUI and car accident prevention safety tips in this article can help you avoid a collision and criminal charges, it can be hard to follow them when you face pressure to drink from family and friends. If you’ve been pulled over for drunk driving, you can schedule a no-obligation meeting with an attorney.
Many DUI lawyers in Los Angeles offer free initial consultations, so you won’t have to pay an attorney fee to learn about your legal options. Reach out to a lawyer today to discuss your accident and get started on your defense case.