Are You More Likely to Get Pulled Over During the Holidays?
You may be wondering if the upcoming holiday season will bring with it more than family dinners and gifts.
And it could. According to Transportation.gov, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) conducts an annual national Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over holiday crackdown on drunk drivers. The NHTSA also releases holiday-oriented marketing materials related to promoting safe roads, so drivers should expect to be under close scrutiny.
The focus is on monitoring alcohol (and drug) use among drivers and maintaining safe roads while everyone is celebrating. The holiday season corresponds with higher rates for highway fatalities and injuries, and Transportation.gov reports that December 2013 saw 733 people die in drunk driving crashes.
Crackdowns like this one will likely lead to increased attention to driving patterns overall. Be sure to drive safe. The NHTSA recommends the following:
1. Don’t drink and drive. If you’ll be consuming alcohol, make sure you have a designated driver.
2. Buckle your seatbelts.
3. Protect child passengers. Children 13 and under should sit in the back seat.
4. Avoid distraction (this includes cellphone use, eating, drinking, and the use of in-vehicle technologies and portable electronic devices).
Law enforcement will be keeping an eye out for behavior that threatens to ruin someone’s holiday; don’t let yourself be the one to draw their attention. You could end up dealing with financial penalties and even jail time, not to mention the psychological damage if someone else is harmed.
What To Do If You Find Yourself In Trouble
While the best option is to avoid doing anything that could result in penalties or danger to yourself and others, if you do find yourself in legal trouble, handling the situation on your own will likely only make matters worse. A lawyer can make your legal situation clear to you and help you explore your options.
How Can an Experienced Traffic Lawyer Help You?
If you need legal advice in relation to a traffic violation, Colgan & Associates can help. We’re a Pennsylvania law firm offering services related to family law, criminal defense and traffic violations. Our goal is to help clients preserve, restore and move forward with their lives. We represent clients across Pennsylvania in both State and Federal Court and offer three locations in Harrisburg, York, and Dillsburg. Contact us for more information; we always have an attorney available to address emergency matters.
