The holidays are a time when DUI arrests in the state of Connecticut increase. Thanksgiving is no different. People come home for the holidays, catch up with old friends, and spend the holiday with family members. This experience can be festive or overwhelming. In either case, many people choose to celebrate the holidays with alcohol. This can lead to an increase in drinking and driving, which the police are aware of. They try to combat this issue by having more officers on the road looking for drivers that may be under the influence of alcohol or other substances. Nothing can put a damper on your Thanksgiving festivities like getting a DUI. So, follow these tips to avoid one this holiday season.
DUI Checkpoints
One way that police officers try to crack down on drunk driving is by setting up DUI checkpoints throughout Connecticut. If you are driving on Thanksgiving or a day near Thanksgiving, be aware of the fact that you might run into a DUI checkpoint. It is best for you to avoid drinking altogether if you will be driving in an area where you will have to go through a DUI checkpoint.
Surrounding Days
Thanksgiving itself is not the only day that police officers will be on the road looking for drunk drivers. The night before Thanksgiving and the weekend after Thanksgiving are also days that you should be careful driving. This is because the police recognize that while people might be visiting family on Thanksgiving itself, the days surrounding Thanksgiving are probably devoted to catching up with old friends while you are in town. For this reason, the bars tend to fill up on these nights, and the police are out looking for drunk drivers. If you are going to catch up with old friends near Thanksgiving, make sure that you have a plan to get home. You should have a designated driver, or a plan to take a taxi home. These options will help you avoid getting pulled over by the police.
Handle Holiday Stressors
It is important to find a healthy way to handle holiday stressors before they occur. If you are nervous about going home, or if you anticipate a fight with a certain family member, be prepared for it. Try not to drink too much, as this might exacerbate the problem. You also don’t want to storm out of a house while under the influence of alcohol and begin driving. If you would like to have a few drinks to calm your nerves, make sure that someone else will remain sober and can drive you home.
These are just a few ways that you can avoid a DUI over this Thanksgiving break. If you do get a DUI in the next week, you are not alone. Contact my office for assistance.
