Legal landscape note: This article was originally published in 2017 and describes the law as it stood at that time. New Jersey law changes frequently.
The family dinner winds down, the wine is gone, and the drive home is only a few miles. For police, that short drive is what the holiday season is about: an influx of intoxicated drivers and the accidents, checkpoints, and arrests that follow. Before you reach for your keys, it is worth knowing what that decision can cost.
According to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the most dangerous time for a driver to be on the road is the period between Thanksgiving and Christmas, when the number of on-the-road fatalities involving an intoxicated driver spikes to about 45 a day. Thanksgiving Eve has even been referred to as "Black Wednesday," by bartenders and restaurant owners, as it is one of the busiest nights of the year for bars.
The real cost of a holiday DUI is much more than a fine. In many cases, driving while intoxicated risks the lives of both the driver and other parties on the road. The US National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism has found that intoxicated driving during the holidays accounts for 40% of traffic-related deaths during these dates. Driving drunk won't just leave you searching for a way to pay a fine. Should you injure someone on the road, you'll be in need of a criminal defense lawyer in Somerset County as well, as you'll be facing criminal charges for your actions.
No matter how you cut it, drunk driving is never worth the risk. If you're going out, make sure that you have a designated driver or you use a ride-sharing app like Lyft or Uber to get you home safely.
This holiday season, know the risks and do not drink and drive.