Personal Injury & DUI Lawyer Jason B. Going Warns Of The Consequences Of A St. Patrick’s Day DUI

St. Patrick’s Day is right around the corner, and just because bars won’t look the same this year as they normally would, doesn’t mean people don’t plan on celebrating. In fact, despite the risk that COVID poses, 49% of U.S. adults plan on celebrating the holiday this year. The pandemic isn’t the only threat people will face during their celebrations however, St. Patrick’s Day is also the cause of an annual spike in DUI and DUI-related deaths.

St. Patrick’s Day ranks 3rd for the most popular drinking day of the year and 1st as the most popular day for beer drinking, and this is evident in the annual DUI statistics. 73 people lost their lives due to drunk driving over St Patrick’s Day in 2018 alone, and 62% of fatal accidents during the holiday involve a drunk driver. 

Risking your life and the lives of those around you are not the only consequences of getting behind the wheel after drinking. The repercussions of DUI are incredibly serious, particularly if someone were to get injured due to your actions. If you are caught driving under the influence, the first thing you will likely be concerned about is the potential criminal charges you could face. If you are convicted of DUI charges, here are some of the penalties that you would likely face:

• Mandatory installation of an ignition interlock device, at your expense

• Time in jail or prison

• Mandatory alcohol treatment or education classes

• Steep fines and other fees

• Mandatory community service

• Charges remaining on your driving and criminal records

Criminal charges won’t be the only consequence you will face if you injure someone while drinking and driving. Causing someone bodily harm leaves you open to the possibility of civil liability — or as it’s better understood, “being on the wrong side of a lawsuit”.

“Getting injured in a car accident, regardless of whether the driver responsible was intoxicated or not can be an extremely stressful and life-changing event,” says attorney Jason B. Going of The Law Office of Jason B. Going, “these people are facing extreme medical bills, pain and suffering, and loss of wages, meaning their only possibility of recovery is to file a lawsuit against the person responsible for their injuries.” If you get behind the wheel this St. Patrick’s Day and you get in an accident where someone is injured, you will likely be on the receiving end of one of these personal injury lawsuits, particularly since your intoxication makes it very simple to prove who was liable for the accident.

Celebrating St. Patrick’s Day is something that many people look forward to year after year, and it is possible to do it safely, even in the midst of a global pandemic. Celebrating at home with your closest friends or family is the best way to protect yourself both from COVID-19 and from finding yourself in a dangerous situation on Illinois’ roads. If you do decide to go out and celebrate and are planning on drinking some green beers, make sure you have a trusted designated driver or other reliable way to get home at the end of the night. Remember – drinking and driving is NEVER worth it, no matter what the holiday!