Understandably, there is cause for excitement and celebration as you ring in the new year. But you must not let the frenzy of festivities distract you from your better judgment. That is, if you attend a New Year’s Eve party and consume alcohol, you must get a ride home from a designated driver, through a rideshare service, or via a public transportation service. But sadly, even if you make the right decision on this night, a lot of other drivers sharing the Toronto roads may not. In other words, you may still be made the victim of a devastating drunk driving accident. Without further introduction, please follow along to find out some New Year’s drunk driving accident statistics and how a proficient Toronto drunk driver accident lawyer at Merricks Law Group, P.A. can help if you are unfortunately involved in one.
What are New Year’s drunk driving accident statistics in Toronto?
It is sad to report that New Year’s Eve and Day are the holidays that have the most alcohol-related traffic fatalities throughout the Province of Ontario.
Generally speaking, in the year 2023, the Ontario Provincial Police claim they made over 10,000 drunk driving charges. This was a significant 16 percent increase from the year prior. And among these 10,000 drunk driving charges, approximately 49 drivers died as a result of a collision. This has led to a 10 percent spike in drunk driving-related accidents on Ontario roads since 2022.
Specifically in the city of Toronto, and just over the New Year’s holiday weekend alone, police arrested approximately 33 drivers for drunk driving. Among these 33 arrests, a considerable amount were at fault for causing a collision and subsequent injuries or even death to other involved parties.
What do I do if I’m involved in a drunk driving accident this holiday?
It is nothing less than heartbreaking if you are wrongly made part of a drunk driving statistic on New Year’s Eve or Day. But if this is ultimately what happens, you must do everything to regain control of the situation so that justice is served.
For starters, you must establish that the at-fault driver is indeed under the influence of drugs or alcohol. This may involve you speaking to a law enforcement officer who responds to the scene of your accident and expressing your concerns. From here, they may conduct field sobriety tests and a breathalyzer test against the other driver.
The results of these tests, along with a copy of the official police report, may be handy for your future civil lawsuit. That is, of course, after the driver stands in front of and hears their punishment from a Toronto criminal court. After all, driving while intoxicated is considered to be a criminal offense in the Province of Ontario.
In conclusion, there is a lot to consider before initiating a personal injury claim. To help you make the right considerations, please consult with a talented Toronto drunk driver accident lawyer. Our team at Merricks Law Group, P.A. will guide you toward the best decision.
