With the holiday season in full swing, South Carolina police are on the lookout for those individuals who are driving while impaired. Drunk driving is a year-round issue, but it seems to increase this time of year. In an effort to keep the public safe, law enforcement officers are stepping up their patrols which means more people may find themselves behind bars and facing DUI-related charges.
According to a recent news story, the increase in drunk drivers starts the day before Thanksgiving — a day that is now being called Drinksgiving. Authorities believe that the stress of the holidays is leading people, especially young people, to spend hours drinking before heading home. Unfortunately, many of them fail to plan ahead and therefore lack designated drivers.
Because of the increase in drunk drivers throughout the holiday season, South Carolina residents are likely to see more officers patrolling. Frequent DUI checkpoints are also planned. While it is likely that this will not stop people from driving while impaired, it will result in an increase in arrests over the next several weeks.
DUI-related charges can be quite serious. In South Carolina, those accused of driving while impaired can lose their driving privileges — temporarily or permanently — and face jail time, among various other consequences. Fighting drunk driving accusations can be difficult, but it is not impossible. An experienced criminal defense attorney can help those accused of such behavior by reviewing police reports, questioning toxicology results and looking for any other information that will help the client. In taking such actions, information may come to light that can assist the accused in achieving a dismissal of charges or penalty reduction.
Source: live5news.com, “Law enforcement on the lookout for people taking part in ‘Drinksgiving'”, Karina Bolster, Nov. 23, 2016