Nothing ruins your holiday spirit like getting in trouble with the law. Unfortunately, that is exactly what happens to a large number of people every single year. With the holiday season comes a barrage of holiday parties. Many times, those parties feature alcohol as a centerpiece of the celebration. That can put people in a difficult position where they have had too much to drink but may still feel like they can drive.
Choosing to get behind the wheel after drinking at a holiday party is a major mistake. It can quickly result in a tragedy if you make poor driving decisions. It is also possible that you will wind up in legal trouble, as law enforcement typically engages in increased drunk driving enforcement around the holidays.
Illinois law enforcement will be watching for drunk drivers
Every year, in the week around Christmas, all the way up through New Year’s, the number of drunk driving accidents and fatalities across the country skyrocket. It is one of the deadliest times of the year. Law enforcement and policymakers have been aware of this dangerous spike in crashes for some time.
To help keep the roads safer during a time of year when more people are on the road, there are often sobriety checkpoints and roadblocks, as well as more patrol officers out in the evenings. You might think that the holiday spirit predisposes officers to leniency, but you would be incorrect in that assumption. You are likely to face criminal charges for driving under the influence in Illinois if you get pulled over for that purpose.
Protect yourself and others with good decisions this holiday season
The best decision that you can make is to avoid over-consuming alcohol at parties. Unfortunately, many people struggle with knowing their limit. Those who drink heavily may believe they have a higher tolerance, while those who drink frequently may believe they are better able than the average person to drive after a few drinks.
Avoiding alcohol at parties when you have to drive home is the best solution to protect yourself. If you can’t resist the temptation, thankfully there are many different ride services, from apps like Lyft and Uber to traditional taxis. Some organizations even offer free rides to individuals who have over-indulged during the holiday season.
If this advice comes too late and you find yourself facing impaired driving charges, make sure you look carefully at your case before entering a plea. It may be possible to defend against pending drunk driving charges. Issues with the traffic stop or problems with the chemical test administered are just two examples of ways that those accused of a DUI offense can push back.