December is National Drunk and Drugged Driving Prevention Month. As the holiday season approaches, DUI victims’ rights attorney Chris Davis hopes that Washington State drivers will keep in mind that calling a cab is much cheaper and far less destructive than getting behind the wheel while under the influence.
According to the United States Department of Transportation, 753 people were killed in alcohol-related traffic collisions in the month of December in 2009. Following this trend, and as part of its ongoing public outreach campaign to spread awareness about the dangers of driving under the influence, Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) has declared December National Drunk and Drugged Driving Prevention Month.
It is estimated that as many as 45 people die from crashes involving an alcohol-impaired driver each day during the holiday season, a crushing number that attorney Chris Davis says is much too high during an otherwise joyous season for families across the U.S.
“The holiday season is supposed to be about family gatherings and spending time with loved ones,” says Davis, who actively represents DUI accident victims in his home state of Washington. “Unfortunately, the holidays are also synonymous with alcohol consumption, and that’s where we see the jump in DUI accidents.”
Although there has been a steady decline in alcohol-related accidents and deaths throughout recent years, the annual uptick during the holidays creates a much more stressful situation for traffic safety advocates nationwide. Even with local law enforcement’s public awareness and emphasis patrol efforts, it is not uncommon for police to arrest hundreds of drunk drivers on holiday weekends.
On Thanksgiving weekend this year, for example, the Washington State Patrol (WSP) arrested more than 130 suspected drunken drivers in King, Pierce and Thurston counties. Davis hopes that the recent passing by the Senate and House of House Bill 2216, which increases the sentencing range for DUI offenders in Washington, will deter more people from making poor decisions.
“Like many other victims advocates in Washington, I was extremely thrilled with the passing of HB 2216,” Davis added. “Essentially, this bill makes vehicular homicide while driving under the influence equivalent to manslaughter in the first degree. I am a firm believer that there is no such thing as a drunk driving ‘accident,’ and this bill applies that notion to all DUI offenders.”
As a public service to residents of Washington State, Davis is offering his book, the “Washington State Drunk Driving Collision Victim Handbook” free of charge to anyone interested in learning more about Washington State DUI laws and what to do after a collision with a drunk driver. Anyone interested in ordering the book or learning more about the Washington Accident Books series should visit www.WashingtonAccidentBooks.com or call the Davis Law Group at 206-727-4000.
About Chris Davis
Christopher M. Davis, founder of the Davis Law Group, has been a licensed attorney in the state of Washington since 1993. He has tried dozens of personal injury cases to verdict and has successfully handled and resolved hundreds of accident claims. He has been a Washington Super Lawyer' for seven years in a row for his expertise and success in litigating personal injury claims. You can learn more about the firm by visiting: http://www.DavisLawGroupSeattle.com.