As we head on into the Thanksgiving holidays, it’s always wise to keep safety foremost in your mind. This is a time of year when many people are on the road, in transit to the homes of friends and relatives with whom they will share the holiday meal.
That uptick in traffic patterns would alone be reason to pay even closer attention to the road, but there is still another factor at play that could affect the safety of you and your family members — Black Wednesday drunken drivers.
If you are unfamiliar with the term, “Black Wednesday” is the nickname given to the night before Thanksgiving. Many are surprised to learn that Black Wednesday is considered to be one of the busiest drinking nights of the year.
The reason it’s such a popular night for indulging in spirits is actually quite understandable. Universities and colleges have closed for the holiday and all of the students return home to their families. But before a day spent among relatives, watching the game and gorging on turkey and dressing, they want a night out with old friends who are also home for the holidays.
It’s not just college-age adults who want to reminisce with old friends, as young couples with kids are content to leave cooing babies and sleeping toddlers with doting grandparents for a single night out meeting up with friends at the local bar.
But the problem lies with those that eschew using ride-sharing services or designated drivers for the ride back to the family home. They may feel that they are only slightly buzzed and able to make the drive without a problem.
If you or your family members fall victim to one of these impaired Black Wednesday drivers, you have the right to seek civil damages under the laws of the state of New York.
Source: MRCTV.org, “Wednesday Before Thanksgiving Is Biggest Drinking Night of the Year,” Dan Joseph, accessed Nov. 17, 2017
