Safe In 60: Don’t Add The Cost And Regret Of A DUI To Your Holiday Celebrations

RIVERTON, Utah – While the holiday season is full of fun gatherings and time with loved ones, unfortunately, it’s often one of the deadliest times on the road.

During the holidays, impairment is involved in about one third of all crashes. Christmas and New Year’s saw some of the highest rates of alcohol-related crashes in all of 2017.

 

Alcohol related crashes are more likely to result in a fatality than other crashes. But if endangering lives isn’t enough to make you reconsider getting behind the wheel, think about the cost of a DUI arrest.

You will be slapped with a citation, impound fees and court fees, and potential fines. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. When you consider your insurance premiums going through the roof and the cost of an attorney, a DUI arrest could easily cost you $10,000 or more.

It could also lead to the loss of driving privileges, and a DUI will stay on your driving record for about years.

If your choice to drink and drive causes an injury or kills someone, you will likely face felony charges, jail time and unquestionably, a lifetime of regret.

Driving under the influence happens far too often in Utah. According to the Utah Department of Public Safety, there were 10,766 DUI-related arrests in 2017.

This is the first holiday season under Utah’s new .05 blood alcohol concentration (BAC) law. For some people, that means just one drink will be enough to put them over the legal driving limit.

Remember, driving while impaired is never okay. Crashes caused by impaired driving are always preventable. Be honest with yourself this holiday season about how you may celebrate. If there is any chance you may have a drink, prepare to get home without getting behind the wheel. When you drive drunk you put everyone at risk, not just yourself.

And if you see an impaired driver, call local law enforcement.