Spring Break Means Masses of College Kids and More Risk of Drunk Driving Crashes

Drunk driving, in any situation, can be a serious offense but seems to be especially prevalent during the time in which Spring Break takes place at colleges in the United States. Across the nation, young adults are attending parties to get away from the stressful workloads of college life and, in some cases, picking up a bottle without realizing the consequences to come from their actions. DUI, or driving under the influence, is something that happens to many college kids inevitably each year during the time we all know as Spring Break.

As you might have heard in the 2014 case involving 19-year-old Bruce George of Tennessee, the man was sentenced to 10 years in prison due to a Spring Break crash that killed another visitor to the Panama City Beach. He was sentenced to give speeches to schools about how his decisions during Spring Break directly affected his life after he was charged with manslaughter for his drunk driving crash that lead to the fatality of a 22-year-old. The horrific reality is that any amount of casualties from what’s supposed to be seen as a ‘good time’ in college is too many.

Because of the rise in drunk driving around campuses at the time of Spring Break, cops are constantly on a lookout for all suspicious activities. If a policeman has probable cause to suspect that the criminal activity of a DUI is taking place, it is then reasonable in their place to pull over the one supposedly committing the crime. If it appears like a college student is partaking in drunk driving, then proper precautions will be taken to possibly lead to an arrest.

For instance, a police officer may see somebody throw a bottle out of the vehicle while they’re driving and that would obviously raise suspicion that criminal activity is taking place. The officer may then pull over the offender and realize that there are more empty bottles in the back of the car – this may lead to a probably cause arrest because common sense tells them that the offender has been partaking in driving under the influence, which we know can be extremely dangerous and lead to injuries from a car crash or even worse: fatalities. Officers on duty are just looking to keep these victims safe during Spring Break, whether they are the ones operating the vehicle under the influence or a victim involved in the accident caused by the one operating the vehicle while drinking.

There are many ways to prevent accidents from happening during the Spring Break season aside from the very obvious “Do not drink while driving.” To go hand in hand with these very important lessons, it is good to know the ins and outs of the laws set in place by most states. Know that, if you are under 21 and participating in Spring Break activities, there are zero tolerance laws. This means that if you fall under this age range and are caught with a BAC of only 0.01%, you can be arrested and are still known to have had “too much to drink.”

It is also important to note that there are many different ways to get back to a hotel, apartment, or house when you are heading home from Spring Break activities and do so responsibly without the risk of getting yourself or anybody else killed in a drunk driving accident. Making plans to get back to a hotel with a taxi is better than hitching a ride with somebody who is clearly under the influence and attempting to drive anyway. Alcohol can desperately affect other’s abilities to judge right from wrong and cause impairment that makes them unable to see what they are doing is illegal. Using your judgment for these activities can lead to a lot of good safety on your part.

Public transportation is available in most areas where Spring Break parties are happening and should be utilized at all costs. In turn, having a designated driver, knowing somebody with one, or physically being said designated driver yourself is always a clear and responsible plan to avoid accident. Walking is a good option as well – leave the car at home and walk to your destination to avoid the pressures of getting into a car and causing an accident in the first place when judgment is impaired.

If you have suffered injuries by the negligent actions of another, and you want to know if you have a case, or want a clear understanding of what your rights are, you need to speak to the Top Rated Personal Injury & Accident law firm in New Jersey; the law offices of Maggiano, DiGirolamo & Lizzi. Call us today we can help you determine if you have a case.