The Thanksgiving holiday stretch is almost here, and if you’re excited to see family and have some extended time off from work, you’re not alone. Millions of people are expected to travel for Thanksgiving get-togethers or for other events over the next few days, and more than a few people will see their day end in handcuffs. In today’s blog, we want to share some tips so that you can pass the stuffing and avoid a cuffing over the Thanksgiving holiday stretch.
Extra Police Presence Across Minnesota For Thanksgiving
Although a formal announcement has not yet been made as we’re drafting this blog, in recent years more than 300 law enforcement agencies from across the state have come together to participate in the extra holiday enforcement period. The enforcement campaign usually begins on or around Thanksgiving and extends through New Year’s Day, so know that police will likely have a heavy presence on the roads. Whether you’re drinking with friends the night before Thanksgiving, speeding on your way to Grandma’s house or you’re headed downtown for the Gopher football game, know that police will be out in full force looking for reckless and criminal behavior.
Police will be looking for any and all lawbreakers, but they’ll have a specific focus on what’s known as the Fatal Four driving behaviors, which include:
- Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs
- Speeding
- Unbelted driving
- Distracted driving
Most fatal traffic crashes involve one of more of the above factors, so be sure to control what you can control behind the wheel. Buckle up, keep your speed in check, put the distractions down and never get behind the wheel if you are under the influence of alcohol or drugs. If we all make these choices, the roads will be a lot safer this Thanksgiving. When you consider how many people will be driving all over the state this weekend, it really is a no brainer. Help keep yourself and others on the road safe throughout the Thanksgiving holiday.
We understand that you may want to drink some beers with your cousins or catch up with old friends at the bar down the street, but please plan ahead so that you know how you’re getting home before you start drinking. As we talked about in our blog on Blackout Wednesday, police will likely have an increased presence on local roads and throughout town as the sun sets because they are aware of the local drinking scene around Thanksgiving. You may assume that you’re safe to drive a couple of miles in town after you’ve been drinking, but police will be out looking for impaired drivers, and with road conditions expected to worsen this week, this choice could be a very costly mistake. Call an Uber, take public transportation or find a sober driver so that you don’t put yourself and others at risk.
We know that we’ll see an uptick in calls for DUI arrests on Thanksgiving and theft charges on Black Friday, but we are here to answer the call and provide assistance on your worst day. Let us help navigate a sensitive situation and ensure you avoid a worst case scenario. If your Thanksgiving doesn’t go as planned, let Appelman Law Firm step in and defend you in court. For more information on how our team can help, pick up the phone and call us day or night at (952) 224-2277.
