The summer months might be when you plan your annual vacation or when you make the most of every weekend by staying out late and meeting up with friends. Between spending time with family and socializing, do you might find yourself over-indulging in alcohol occasionally.
You would not be the only one to enjoy a few cold drinks on a hot summer day, which is why the summer is also one of the peak times for drunk driving enforcement every year. Drivers in North Carolina may be under more intense law enforcement scrutiny during the summer months because of the elevated risk for drunk driving crashes during the warmest season.
The summer sees a disproportionate number of drunk driving crashes
There are four seasons that each last three months, which should mean that each season has an equal percentage of the annual drunk driving crashes. However, that is simply not the case.
The summer months are when 29% of drunk driving fatalities occur, making it the most dangerous season of the year for impaired driving and, therefore, the best time for police officers to actively enforce impaired driving laws. While there may be extra enforcement around holiday weekends, there will be plenty of police watching for drunk drivers all summer.
What makes the summer so dangerous?
Celebrating holidays with barbecues and beers might mean that people have too much to drink. Teenagers and most college students are out of school for the summer and might therefore have more free time to hang out with friends and experiment with alcohol. There are festivals, backyard barbecues and all kinds of social celebrations that will serve alcohol.
The summer months also mean that there are also usually tourists in North Carolina visiting the beautiful beaches and historical sites around the state. These visitors may not just overindulge while visiting but may also be unfamiliar with the roads, increasing their risk of causing a crash. Law enforcement agencies recognize the higher risks and may step up patrols and enforcement efforts accordingly.
Those accused of drunk driving can sometimes successfully defend themselves. Reviewing the circumstances that led to your arrest could help you find a way to defend yourself.
