The Fourth of July means holiday celebrations in New Jersey and all over the country. It also indicates traffic accidents, drunk drivers and fatalities on the road. Between the years 2010 and 2017, there were 1,192 traffic fatalities caused by drunk drivers nationwide. On average, there were 42.4 DUI fatalities on the Fourth of July each year during the period studied. Memorial Day and Labor Day were the second- and third-deadliest DUI holidays with 39.5 and 38.1 DUI fatalities respectively on average.
ValuePenguin.com found that DUI-related fatalities were 57% more likely to occur during Independence Day weekend than on a comparable span in the summer based on figures from the year 2017. The average 4.5-day period during the summer saw 117 deaths, and there were 184 fatal DUI crashes over the Fourth of July holiday weekend.
The data indicated that the Fourth of July was the worst for drunk driving when it fell on a Wednesday. The fatal DUI accident rate was 43% higher on Wednesdays than when the holiday fell on a Saturday. Whatever day of the week July Fourth is on, it is a holiday where drunk driving is more prevalent than normal, and drivers should be especially aware of potentially dangerous drivers on the road.
When people are killed by drunk drivers in auto accidents, their estates or family members may have claims for recovery under New Jersey law. An attorney may be able to help in such cases by deposing witnesses, bringing in experts, gathering medical records or otherwise developing a case for trial. A lawyer might be able to identify parties who have liability for monetary damages and negotiate the terms of the settlement with at-fault parties or their insurers. If the at-fault driver was convicted of drunk driving, that conviction may be admissible as evidence in a related civil case.