Florida Car Accident Lawyer Blog
Summer is a time for enjoying the beautiful Florida weather, experiencing the many festivals South Florida has to offer, and enjoying the sunshine. Unfortunately, drunk driving accidents in Hollywood and South Florida often increase during this time of year. As more people take vacation time and host celebrations, alcohol often becomes part of the equation. When drivers decide not to drink responsibly, the effects can be devastating.
How can you keep yourself and your family safe this summer? There are several ways to make the summer of 2015 not only fun but safe for everyone you love:
1) Host parties responsibly.
If you’re hosting summer parties or cookouts, make sure that you do so responsibly. Have a designated driver on hand to drive people home, set up extra room to have guests stay overnight, or have money on hand to send your friends home in a taxi. Consider taking everyone’s keys when they arrive and only give them back when your guests are ready to drive home safely. Collecting keys at the start of the night ensures that no one can sneak away while you are taking care of hosting duties to drive home drunk.
2) Have a plan for getting home safely.
If you’ll be attending any summertime events where alcohol may be served, make sure that you have a plan for getting home safely. In fact, it is best to have multiple plans for getting home safely. Keep money on hand for a taxi, but also have a credit card on hand to pay for hotel, apps on your phone to help direct you to a hotel, and a designated driver. Having a few options on hand makes it easier and more convenient to get home safely and ensures that even if one plan falls through you still have other options for making the right decision after drinking. Even if you don’t plan on drinking, make sure that you have plans for getting home safely, especially if you’re going to an area of South Florida without an extensive public transit system.
3) Talk to your friends and family about drinking and driving.
Do you have a new teen driver in your home? Are your children at the age where they are heading out with friends without adult supervision? It’s time to sit down and have a family discussion about drunk driving and the dangers of getting in a car with a drunk driver.
Make sure your children know that they can always count on you for safe ride home – with no questions asked. Often, teenagers are hesitant to call for help if they find themselves in a dangerous situation because they worry that they will be punished for underage drinking or partying. It is more important that your children get home safely, so make sure they feel comfortable contacting you and other family members if they need to.
4) Sign a drive sober pledge.
Have everyone in your family sign a pledge not to drink and drive. Making a written commitment can help enforce the seriousness of the issue, especially for younger children and teens.
Have you been injured by a drunk driver in Hollywood or anywhere in South Florida? The law firm of Flaxman Law Group works around the clock to help plaintiffs just like you seek compensation for their injuries. If you’d like to know whether you have legal options for seeking compensation, contact our law firm today for a free, no obligation case review.