Enjoying a cold beer during a game or tailgating with friends is part of the fun. Enjoying all that fun and excitement (and alcohol) with your friends and family can take a very serious turn for the worse if you decide to get behind the wheel and drive. Sporting events last for several hours. If you are drinking for several hours, chances are you are well over the legal limit to drive. Appointing a designated driver is one of the best ways to avoid a potentially life-threatening accident or DUI charge. Luckily technology provides us with many other ways to get home safe even if you do not have a designated driver. Pull out your phone, open your Uber/Lyft app or just call a good old-fashioned cab. The amount of money that you’ll spend on that Uber, Lyft or Taxi pales in comparison to what a DUI charge or accident will eventually cost you.
While Massachusetts ranks somewhere in the middle vis-à-vis states with the highest rates of drunk driving fatalities, studies have shown that the number of alcohol-related arrests increases during football season.
Real statistics to consider before operating under the influence of drugs or alcohol:
- 1 out of 10 people who attend a sporting event is legally drunk by the time the game ends.
- In Massachusetts, from 2015 to 2016, alcohol-impaired driving fatalities increased 9 percent (109 to 119)
- In 2016, almost one in five children (14 and younger) killed in traffic crashes were killed in drunk-driving crashes. Fifty-four percent of the time, it was the child’s own driver who was drunk.
- Approximately one-third of all traffic crash fatalities in the United States involve drunk drivers. On average, more than 10,000 people have died each year (2012- 2016) in drunk-driving crashes. To put it in perspective, that’s equal to about 20 jumbo jets crashing, with no survivors.
Ways to get home safe after a game:
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Choose a designated driver. As previously mentioned, in 2018 there really isn’t an excuse for driving impaired. If you are away from home and under the influence take the T, contact a ridesharing service, call a cab, friend or family member. If you’re hosting a football party, make sure to provide plenty of non-alcoholic drink options for the designated drivers.
- Avoid the busy roads. Leave the game before the buzzer? No way!… But, if it means getting home safe, it’s probably worth it. Staying off the busiest roads during your drive home is another way to stay safe.
- Drive in the right lane. Sticking to the right lane may save your life from drunk drivers. Often drunk drivers drift out of their lane or into oncoming traffic. The further you are to the right of the road, the better your chances of avoiding being side-swiped or hit head-on by someone who is driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
Living in and around the City of Champions is a great thing. Let’s keep it that way and enjoy the Sox, Pats, Celts, and Bruins responsibly this season.
Chelsea, Massachusetts Legal Representation You Can Trust
If you or a loved one has been injured or even killed as a result of drunk driving, contact Spada Law Group. With offices in Chelsea and Salem, MA, Spada Law Group provides Boston quality legal representation without the commute into the city with free on-premises or validated parking. We are here to answer any questions you may have. Call Spada Law Group today at 617-889-5000 to discuss your situation. The consultation is free and there is absolutely no obligation to hire us. We are open Monday through Friday from 9am to 5pm.
