With the approach of the holiday season that begins with the long Thanksgiving weekend, people anticipate enjoyable get-togethers with family and friends.
However, moderate drinkers tend to imbibe more during the holidays, and binge drinkers become more active causing OWI offenses to increase in the state of Wisconsin.
Wisconsin statistics
As of December 31, 2019, Wisconsin DOT records show nearly 495,000 drivers with a first-offense drunk driving conviction. The Wisconsin Department of Transportation (DOT) reports that in 2020 there were 167 alcohol-related fatalities and 3,120 alcohol-related injuries
Reasons to drink
Most people expect to see an increase in holiday drinking. Thanksgiving, for example, offers a long weekend with plenty of time to imbibe alcoholic beverages during family visits and parties with friends. There is also plenty of TV football, which provides a traditional backdrop for beer lovers. However, not everyone is in a festive mood. For some, the holidays are lonely and stressful. Drinking more than usual can dull the feeling of emptiness.
Drunk driving offenders
Prior convictions do not seem to slow the trend in holiday drinking. Alcohol Monitoring Systems issued a report showing that more than 450,000 monitored drivers already convicted of DUI increased their alcoholic intake by 33% between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day. Law enforcement officers prepare. Because of holiday celebrations, there are always more vehicles on the road and more people driving late at night. Safe holiday driving depends on cautious drinking. To allow the body to process alcohol properly, confine adult beverages to one per hour and drink plenty of water in between. Choosing a designated driver will also allow full enjoyment of any holiday event.
