Increase in DUIs and Accidents
For many, the holiday season brings an overwhelming sense of joy. Unfortunately, it also tends to bring an increase in Pennsylvania DUIs and accidents.
And, this year, in particular, the Thanksgiving holiday weekend in Pennsylvania was an especially dangerous one.
According to a Pittsburgh news source, this year Pennsylvania experienced more car accidents and saw more arrests for driving under the influence than last year’s Thanksgiving holiday weekend.
The state police reportedly investigated 1,116 crashes over the duration of Nov. 21 through Nov. 25, which was a 13.8% increase from those dates last year.
Out of those 1,116 accidents, there were “80 alcohol-related incidents, 213 injuries, and four deaths.” However, police revealed that alcohol did not play a factor in any of the fatal accidents.
Over that five-day period, state troopers made 637 DUI arrests, which was an increase from last year’s 629.
Police Enforcement Statistics
The full police enforcement results from that five-day holiday weekend along with a comparison to last year can be found below. Please keep in mind that these numbers only represent state police investigations, not local Pennsylvania police departments.
Source: Pittsburgh’s Action News
Accident Stats:
Total Crashes
2017 - 981
2018 - 1,116
Fatal Crashes
2017 - 4
2018 - 4
Individuals Killed
2017 - 4
2018 - 4
Individuals Injured
2017 - 209
2018 - 213
Alcohol-Related Fatal Crashes
2017 - 85
2018 - 0
Enforcement Stats:
DUI Arrests
2017 - 629
2018 - 637
Speeding Citations
2017 - 15,912
2018 - 13,863
Child Seat Citations
2017 - 172
2018 - 136
Seat Belt Citations
2017 - 1,125
2018 - 1,256
Other Citations
2017 - 15,211
2018 - 18,320
Nationwide Holiday Drunk Driving Facts
Unfortunately, year after year, hundreds of lives are lost around the holiday season due to drunk drivers. Looking over the past five years, each holiday season 300 people on average have died in a drunk driving crash in the week between Christmas and New Year.
In addition, alcohol-related impairment is responsible for more than a quarter of all car accident fatalities. Back in 2016, a devastating 781 people lost their lives in the month of December alone due to drunk-driving-induced crashes.
Drunk driving is a serious offense, and is against the law in every state in the U.S., District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico, and can result in a license suspension or even jail time depending on your blood alcohol level and whether or not you have any previous DUI convictions.
Law enforcement agencies take extra caution around the holiday season to decrease the number of alcohol-related accidents by increasing patrols. Drivers can also expect to see more advertisements featuring the brutal consequences of drunk-driving around this time of year.
Scarpello & LaTour: Your Philadelphia Criminal Defense Law Firm
If you are currently facing a DUI charge, you need to seek legal guidance from a DUI lawyer that is experienced in DUI cases immediately. Whether you just need advice from an experienced criminal defense lawyer or need representation in the courtroom- the Pennsylvania DUI lawyers at Scarpello & LaTour will stand by your side and fight hard for you.
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Here For You When You Need It Most
No matter if you have been charged with something as small as a traffic violation, or as severe as a PA DUI- you need a criminal defense lawyer that is reliable, committed and experienced.
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Our team of criminal defense attorneys works diligently to defend the rights and interests of our Philadelphia-area clients. At Scarpello & LaTour, we take all of our cases seriously and will work hard to reduce the penalties that you are facing, and in some cases- we can even achieve a dismissal on your drunk driving charges.
Contact the law offices of Scarpello & LaTour to speak with a dedicated DWI or DUI defense attorney, and receive a free consultation today.