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Spring break is the one week a year when college students let loose. They flock to warm locations, like the beaches in Texas, or even cities along the Mexican border, like El Paso, to blow off all the steam and stress built up from the current semester.
The only problem is that this fun-filled week tends to be prone to accidents and injuries, due to students acting carelessly, making mistakes, and behaving in ways that they shouldn’t. Thankfully, you can still have your fun and stay safe by following these pro tips.
According to the Texas Department of Transportation, Spring Break in 2020 included 872 alcohol-induced motor vehicle accidents. Of those, thirty of them ended in deaths, either of the driver, a passenger, or someone in another vehicle. Sadly, things have gotten steadily worse in the years following, making drinking and driving accidents the largest cause of Spring Break injuries and deaths.
So, how can this be avoided? The solution is easy: don’t drink and drive. This is as simple as having a sober, designated driver. Another option is to take advantage of ride-share services.
What happens if you’re accused of a DUI in a different state than where you live? While the circumstances can vary, you could end up spending the rest of the semester behind bars, unable to make bail, waiting for your court date. A DUI can also follow you around for the rest of your life, especially if your accident caused the death of someone else. The best thing to do is not get behind the wheel if you’ve been drinking.
Hit-and-run accidents can lead to numerous avoidable charges, especially if you’ve been drinking, are under the legal drinking age, and are on Spring Break. Rather than risk your future and see your potential legal consequences multiply, stop your vehicle when you’ve either been in or have caused a car accident. The urge to drive away and pretend like nothing ever happened is very real but can lead to additional problems once you’ve been caught. Don’t ruin the fun of your Spring Break, as well as your future, by committing a hit-and-run.
Muggings, sexual assaults, and more can happen when you’re separated from your group of friends. This is particularly true if you’ve been drinking and plan to break away from your buddies in order to further engage with that cute local or think that walking back to your hotel room alone at 2 am is a good idea. By staying with your group of friends the entire time, your odds of staying safe are higher because few troublemakers want to deal with a whole group of people. “Safety in numbers” is a popular saying for a reason!
How many times have you or a friend had a few drinks and then decided it’s a good time to jump into that hotel pool? Unfortunately, the outcomes of these events can be tragic. Even the best swimmer can end up in trouble if they’ve been drinking, especially if they choose to go into a lake or river where the current can’t be fully determined. Hotel pools, while free from currents, can also have hidden dangers, such as not being as deep as they seem, making that headfirst dive a very bad idea. Thankfully, staying out of the water when you’ve been drinking is an easy thing to do.
Every year Spring Break horror headlines end up in the news. Students have a bit to drink and decide to hang off of hotel balconies before losing their grip and falling to their deaths. Others end up trying to take that perfect picture for social media, only to end up falling over the side of the cliff on which they were posing. While drugs and alcohol are partially to blame for these deadly accidents, that feeling of immortality that students have while they’re young is also at fault. It’s crucial to remember that you’re mortal, so don’t do anything crazy that could cause your death, leave you with severe injuries, or even end up harming innocent passers-by.
As you may have noticed from the other tips described here, alcohol plays a major factor in many of the things that go wrong during Spring Break. This is due to the fact that many students choose to binge drink or drink until they black out thanks to peer pressure and the opinion that drinking to excess is “fun.” While there’s nothing wrong with going to a dance club and having a few drinks, as long as you’re of legal drinking age, you should count your drinks and make sure to stop before you reach the point of dangerous intoxication. This way, you can still have fun, but play it safe at the same time.
Been in a car accident while on Spring Break? Need a lawyer after being pulled over for drinking and driving? No matter what the circumstance, you need a good attorney. The Law Offices of Michael J. Gopic, PLLC in El Paso, Texas can help you. We have over 30 years of experience and understand the importance of solid representation in the courtroom. Contact our office today to learn more.
Michael J. Gopin has practiced law in El Paso since 1987. Even after more than 30 years, he still remembers his first jury case. It was two weeks after receiving his license, when he represented a person whose life had been forever changed after being blinded in a work-related incident...
We are experienced El Paso personal injury lawyers. Give us a call and you’ll be taken care of! (915) 333-3333
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