It’s that time of year, again…the holidays. Thanksgiving saw a significant increase in traveling over 2020, and some survey statistics for late in the year are officially in. As you make your plans for you and your family, there’s a lot to consider, and your friends at Ticket Busters want you to have a happy and SAFE time, wherever you go and whatever you do.
First, the stats. If you travel, you’ll have plenty of company and can expect crowds. Traveldailynews.com cites a 2021 Holiday Travel Survey and found the following:
- Nearly 63% of all Americans aged 18 or older (161 million adults) will travel for at least one holiday this year. That’s a 37% increase in holiday travel compared to last year’s survey where the same question was asked.
- 20% of all American adults expect to travel for Christmas, Hanukkah or Kwanzaa.
Many of these individuals will travel by car. One of the fastest ways to put a damper (or worse!) on your travel plans is to be involved in a vehicle accident or to be pulled over by law enforcement. Keep these details in mind as you drive to/from your destination:
- Plan your route and your travel day(s). Allow adequate time to drive the speed limit while still reaching your destination on time. The busiest travel days tend to be the two days before and two days after an actual holiday, so if you can plan your trip to travel earlier or later than “everyone else on the road,” you are likely to find less crowded roads and have a more pleasant travel experience.
- If you’ll be traveling where you haven’t driven before, pay particular attention to your driving. Stay alert and take note of and obey all traffic signs, especially speed limits. Whether factually true or not, many believe small towns are notorious for being “speed traps” as the speed limit may go down from highway speeds to, say, 25 miles per hour. Again, don’t exceed the speed limit, and you’ll keep moving toward your destination.
Watch your alcohol intake!
Drinking and driving should NEVER mix, and with the holiday season filled with parties, informal get togethers and midnight toasts, always have a plan to have a designated driver or use a taxi or car service. Promise yourself and your loved ones that you’ll have a fun AND safe time, for you and others. Here are some facts and tips:
- One “standard” drink is considered 12-ounces of beer (about 5% alcohol), five ounces of wine (about 12% alcohol) or 1.5 ounces of distilled spirits (about 40% alcohol).
- Eat food before and/or while having your drink.
- If you’ll be somewhere where you’ll likely have more than one alcoholic beverage, have a non-alcoholic beverage in between. Consume and enjoy your beverage slowly.
- You know your body better than anyone else, so know when to say no to an alcoholic beverage.
- The human body can only process and eliminate alcohol so fast, and there’s nothing you can do to speed it up.
Even careful people make mistakes, so if you find yourself with a traffic ticket (or worse), it is best to reach out to an attorney to listen to your situation and start the process of protecting your legal rights. Remember, the attorneys at Ticket Busters represent clients every day and may be able to help you with your ticket.
- Your case may be thrown out due to a technical error or rights violation.
- Your ticket may be reduced from speeding to a non-moving violation.
- Your fine may be reduced or replaced with traffic school attendance.
- Your driver’s license may have fewer or no points added to it.
The Ticket Busters team wishes you, your family and friends the happiest of holidays. Let’s make this a SAFE holiday for everyone. Pay careful attention to your driving, obey traffic signs and laws, and never, ever get behind the wheel after drinking alcohol.
