St. Patrick’s Day, at least for most Americans, is a drinking holiday. On St. Patrick’s Day, most of us don’t give much consideration to the history behind the celebration, or to who Saint Patrick may have been. We wear green, pinch people who don’t, and drink green beer or other alcoholic beverages. Unfortunately, some revelers also get stopped or arrested by law enforcement under suspicion of driving under the influence.
As a drinking holiday, St. Patrick’s Day records more DUI arrests and alcohol-related traffic accidents than other days of the year, in California and throughout the entire country. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports some of the following statistics regarding drunk driving and St. Patrick’s Day:
- From 2010 – 2014, approximately 266 people were killed as a result of alcohol-related crashes during the St. Patrick’s Day holiday period.
- Close to half of all fatal traffic accidents after midnight following St. Patrick’s Day to 6:00 am involved a driver impaired by alcohol.
As a result of the spike in drunk drivers on the road, law enforcement agencies work to raise awareness about the dangers of driving impaired and to increase their presence on the road during the holiday period. If you live in Orange County or anywhere in Southern California, expect to see more police and highway patrol and more checkpoints this coming Thursday and early morning Friday.
Being a firm that focuses a great deal of our practice on defending clients charged with driving under the influence, we often work with drivers who were stopped and arrested during holidays and periods of increased enforcement. We are familiar with California DUI laws and procedures, as well as the protocol law enforcement must adhere to when investigating and arresting motorists.
If you or someone you know has been arrested for DUI in Orange County, the Law Offices of Virginia L. Landry, Inc. is here to immediately respond to your request for help. Visit www.DUIQueen.com or call (877) 384-7833 for a free and confidential evaluation of your case.
