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There are many holidays people in Pennsylvania will celebrate throughout 2020, and at any of these holidays, alcohol will often be served. However, some people will consume so much alcohol that they make the dangerous decision to drive drunk. This leads to car accidents that can cause serious injuries or even fatalities during a time that is supposed to be celebratory.

Drunk driving is serious problem during the holidays

In 2017 in Pennsylvania, 12% of all motor vehicle accidents over holiday weekends were drunk driving accidents. In addition, of all traffic fatalities that occurred over holiday weekends that year in Pennsylvania, 37% involved alcohol use. The following is a breakdown of which holidays saw the most traffic accidents and traffic fatalities due to alcohol use in 2017 in Pennsylvania.

The Pre-Thanksgiving time period in 2017 was the holiday that saw the most drunk driving accidents at 164 crashes. Following close behind that were the Thanksgiving holiday and Christmas holiday, each of which saw 161 alcohol-related crashes. However, it was the post New Years holiday in 2017 that saw the most drunk driving fatalities at seven deaths.

Post-Independence Day was the holiday period that saw the fewest drunk driving accidents compared to other holiday periods in Pennsylvania in 2017 at 20 crashes. However, in 2017 in Pennsylvania, it was the New Year’s holiday and Memorial Day holiday that tied for fewest drunk driving deaths at one fatality each.

Options following a fatal holiday drunk driving crash

Drunk driving is, in the end, an act of negligence. When a person is killed due to a crash caused by a drunk driver, they may seek an insurance settlement. However, insurance settlements do not always cover all the losses the victim’s family incurred due to the drunk driving crash. When this happens, the victim’s survivors may wish to determine whether they can pursue a wrongful death claim.

In a wrongful death claim, generally it must be shown that the victim was killed due to the negligent or intentional acts of another, and that the victim’s family suffered financial damages as a result of the death. An attorney can work with their client to determine if a wrongful death claim is right for them. It is important that an attorney act aggressively and diligently to ensure their client’s wrongful death claim results in an outcome that is fair and appropriate.

Drunk driving over the holidays is a serious issue that we should all work together to avoid. Unfortunately, there will always be those who choose to drive drunk during the holidays, putting their lives and the lives of others in danger. Fortunately, in many cases compensation can be sought for medical bills, lost earnings and more. With the right help, those who have lost a loved one due to drunk driving can seek the compensation they need during a difficult time.