South Carolina Highway Patrol Cautions Against Drunk Driving During The Holidays
We have almost made it to the end of 2022, a year in which it seems as if almost every day was packed with nail-biting uncertainty, and that in itself is a reason to celebrate. Besides that, no matter how good or bad the other 11 months of the year are, the holiday season in South Carolina is invariably awesome. The spirit of generosity is undeniable, and sharing a turkey dinner and marshmallow-topped sweet potatoes with lifelong friends and a few that you have just met is pure joy. On Black Friday, you and your girl cousins shop till you drop, only to do it all again on Small Business Saturday, while agile grandpas festoon the rooftops with Christmas lights while grandmas set up nativity scenes and Christmas villages to delight everyone who will make it to the interior of the house during the holidays. Traveling from one of these delightful scenes to another is beset with hazards, though, as the winter holidays are peak season for drunk driving, and South Carolina has alarmingly high DUI rates in general. If you have been injured by a drunk driver this holiday season, contact a South Carolina car accident lawyer.
You Survived Blackout Wednesday, but Don’t Stop Being Cautious
New Year’s Eve is the night that gets the most publicity for witnessing lots of drunk driving crashes, but the day before Thanksgiving, which has recently received the nickname Blackout Wednesday, actually has even more alcohol-related accidents. It seems that, in recent years, people have started celebrating with drinks earlier each year. It used to be that people spent the day before Thanksgiving ordering pizza and defrosting the turkey, but drunk driving has become an increasingly common practice on this day.
This year, the South Carolina Highway Patrol has taken the occasion of Thanksgiving weekend to warn people against the dangers of drinking and driving. State Trooper David Jones said that 19 people in South Carolina died in alcohol-related car accidents during Thanksgiving weekend in 2019, in addition to 14 people during the same weekend in 2020. David Longstreet, whose six-year-old daughter Emma was killed by a drunk driver ten years ago, reminded South Carolinians of how much they have to lose by drinking and driving.
In South Carolina, the penalties for DUI vary according to how much damage, if any, you cause, as well as according to your history of drunk driving, if any. If you injure someone in a car accident while you are under the influence of alcohol, the maximum sentence is 15 years in prison. If you cause a fatality accident while driving drunk, the maximum penalty is 25 years in prison.
Contact Us Today for Help
The Columbia car accident lawyers at the Stanley Law Group wish you a safe and happy holiday season. We are here to help you stand up for your legal rights if you have suffered injuries in a traffic accident. Contact The Stanley Law Group for a consultation today.
Source:
wltx.com/article/news/crime/schp-cracks-down-dui-holiday-season/101-96922f17-d0e7-42e1-aa51-8b55d3f90677
