Drinking and Driving in the Summertime

From Memorial Day to Labor Day, people are on the roads and highways more often due to the end of the school year and families hitting the road for summer vacations. Unfortunately, there is also a rise in car accidents during this time, which is why the summer months are known as some of the deadliest days on the road. Many of these accidents involve drunk driving, a problem which also seems to spike during the summertime.

Reports indicate that the majority of fatal car wrecks involve young, inexperienced drivers, many of whom had consumed alcohol prior to the accident. Law enforcement officials have responded to this issue by increasing the number of checkpoints, sending additional patrol cars out to identify and remove drivers who are driving while intoxicated, as well as other awareness efforts. While these methods have been effective over the years, the summer months continue to be a troublesome time when it comes to drunk driving.

Factors that Affect Summer Drunk Driving Statistics

Michael Garr, the Associate Professor of Sociology at Wilkes University, has examined the connection between alcohol consumption and the use of checkpoints as a deterrent to drunk driving.

According to Garr, the rise in alcohol-related car accidents during the summer months can be attributed to the fact that the total number of accidents are measured over a three-to-four-day holiday weekend, as opposed to one 24-hour period of a holiday during another time of year. Garr also suggested that the rise in drunk driving car accidents during the summer months could be due to the fact that there are outdoor venues that have little to no alcohol enforcement. Most people, including underage individuals, are likely to consume alcohol at places such as parks, concert venues, and outdoor fairs during the warm summer months.

Research has indicated that summer drivers are at a particular risk for being injured in a car accident because there seems to be a more lenient view toward alcohol consumption during the summer. Moreover, teen drivers especially are more likely to be at greater risk for distracted driving due to factors such as music, cell phones, and other passengers in the car. Targeted marketing messages and drunk driving campaigns that focus on reducing fatalities during the summer months may help to reduce the number of drunk driving accidents in the future.

Baltimore Car Accident Lawyers at LeViness, Tolzman & Hamilton Represent Victims of Drunk Driving Accidents

If you or a loved one has been injured in a drunk driving car accident during the summer months, you are urged to contact the Baltimore car accident lawyers at LeViness, Tolzman & Hamilton at your earliest convenience. Drunk driving is an issue that we take extremely seriously and we will take aggressive steps to determine who is responsible for your injuries. We will not stop until we have obtained the maximum financial compensation you deserve. To schedule a free consultation, call us today at 800-547-4LAW (4529) or contact us online.

Our offices are located in Baltimore, Columbia, Glen Burnie, and Towson, allowing us to represent injured victims in Maryland. We represent Anne Arundel County, Carroll County, Harford County, Howard County, Montgomery County, Maryland’s Western Counties, Southern Maryland, and the Eastern Shore, as well as the communities of Catonsville, Essex, Halethorpe, Middle River, Rosedale, Gwynn Oak, Brooklandville, Dundalk, Pikesville, Nottingham, Windsor Mill, Lutherville, Timonium, Sparrows Point, Ridgewood, and Elkridge.