DUI and the Fourth of July

Independence Day is just around the corner, and for many people, that means celebrating with family and friends at parades, barbecues, and pool parties.For some of those, alcohol will be a part of the celebration, and for those who choose to drive after drinking, the results can be deadly. In fact,while New Year's Eve has a reputation for being one of the deadliest nights on American roadways, the truth is that the Fourth of July holiday contributesto most DUI deaths each year.

A Pensacola News Journal article cites a National HighwayTransportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) study that shows roughly 40 percent of all motor vehicle fatalities each year occur during the Fourthof July weekend. That means one weekend accounts for nearly half of the year's traffic deaths, making July 4th the deadliest holiday in the UnitedStates. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) reports that an average of 144 people each year die in traffic accidents on July 4. Thiscompares with an average of 36 traffic deaths per day the rest of the year.

The NHTSA also provides the following statistics regarding DUI deaths and the Fourth of July:

• In 2014, over the Fourth of July holiday (6 p.m. July 3rd to 5:59 a.m. July 7th), 164 people were killed in crashes involving at leastone driver or motorcycle operator with a blood alcohol concentration of .08 grams per deciliter or higher. Those preventable deaths make up 41 percent of the 397 people killed in motor vehicle traffic crashes over the Fourth of July period.
• Of the 164 people killed in drunk driving crashes during the 2014 July Fourth period, 113 people died in crashes involving at least one driver or motorcycle operator with a BAC of .15 or higher-almosttwice the set limit.In fatal crashes during the 2014 July Fourth period, more than one-fourth (29%) of involved drivers or motorcycle operators had BACs of .15 or higher.
• Over half (58%) of the young drivers (18 to 34 years old) killed in motor vehicle traffic crashes were alcohol-impaired during the2014 Fourth of July period.

How can you protect yourself and your loved ones from a DUI accident this? The NHTSA recommends the following safety tips:

• Plan a safe way home before the fun begins.
  
• Designate a sober driver or use public transportation to get home safely.
  
• Download NHTSA�s SaferRide mobile app at www.nhtsa.gov/link/saferride/.
  
• Use a sober ride program, such as the AAA Safe Ride service offered in Metro Tulsa, Metro Oklahoma City, Shawnee, Bartlesville, Enid, Muskogee, Ardmore, Tahlequah and Lawton.
  
• If you see a drunk driver on the road, don�t hesitate to contact local law enforcement.
  

The Law Firm of Oklahoma attorneys and staff wish you a safe and happy Independence Day.