Cookouts, parties, and the alcohol consumption that goes with them have long been a part of the 4th of July holiday and the following (or preceding weekend). For the last decade, though, car accidents have been just as inseparable from the holiday, enough to make Independence Day the deadliest driving day of the year. According to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, more people died as a result of car accidents on the 4th of July than any other day of the year between 2000 and 2009.
With so many people traveling around, taking vacations, visiting family and friends, and enjoying fireworks and barbecues, it’s not surprising that a full 40% of fatal accidents on July 4 involved a driver with a blood-alcohol concentration above the legal blood alcohol concentration (BAC).
Because of these concerning statistics, police departments around the U.S., including in Missouri and Illinois, are increasing enforcement of impaired driving and holding sobriety checkpoints. In fact, the calendar for the Missouri Coalition for Roadway Safety for July 2013 lists sobriety checkpoint dates during the entire 4th of July weekend. Several St. Louis-area police departments have also announced checkpoints for some of all of the coming weekend.
What happens if you are involved in a car accident over the holiday?
After everyone is safe, any injuries were addressed, and you have contacted your auto insurer, be sure to get in touch with your attorney. An experienced personal injury attorney such as those at Kullmann, Klein & Dioneda, P.C. can help you to understand your rights and to protect you against any unforeseen developments that can occur after a car accident, including those that involve a drunk driver.
The St. Louis car accident lawyers at Kullmann, Klein & Dioneda, P.C. will start to work immediately to help you assess your case, your needs and your remedies. If the unexpected happens to you over your holiday weekend, call us for a free consultation at 1-800-536-8844 or contact us online.
