For many Americans, Independence Day is a time to celebrate with friends and family members. From firework shows to parties, people celebrate the holiday in different ways. Sadly, some people lose their lives in motor vehicle accidents that occur on this holiday. Worse yet, statistics show that fatal accidents are especially prevalent on July fourth as a result of drunk driving. Over the years, far too many lives have been lost on this holiday, as well as other times of the year, because of drivers carelessly getting in their vehicles after drinking alcohol.
According to marketing material presented by the Department of Transportation, Independence Day has one of the highest fatality rates, in comparison to other holidays. Sadly, many of the lives that are lost on this holiday are caused by people choosing to operate a vehicle while drunk. During 2015, 146 lives were lost on the Fourth of July due to drivers being intoxicated and above the legal limit. Among those who passed away, 92 were involved in an accident that had a driver whose blood alcohol content level was greater than 0.15.
Tragically, even the most responsible drivers can find themselves involved in a traffic collision during this time of year because of another person’s recklessness. During this holiday, people may get caught up in the festivities and forget to drive responsibly, endangering their own lives and the lives of everyone else on the road. For the victims of these crashes and their family members, going over different options afterward is important.