While many retailers in New Jersey are focusing on Black Friday sales this week, law enforcement agencies are honing their strategies for Black Wednesday enforcement. Black Wednesday refers to the evening before the Thanksgiving holiday. While it is widely known as the busiest travel day of the year, it is also infamous for being a time when many drunk drivers are arrested.
It may be common knowledge for New Jersey drivers that operating a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol concentration of .08 or above is a crime, but many are unsure of how many drinks it takes for the average person to reach that level. They may rely on the notion of being “fine after a drink or two” (which turns into four or five), or they have back-road detours to avoid roving patrols.
While these tactics may have some successes, people who consume alcohol during Black Wednesday (or during Thanksgiving weekend) should consider using a designated driver. While it may be common knowledge, a designated driver is someone who abstains from alcohol during a night on the town so that he or she will not be impaired while behind the wheel. It is important to understand that the designated driver is not the person who drinks the least (compared to people who are flat out drunk), because drivers who are impaired can be arrested for a crime.
Nevertheless, there are some who may be arrested on suspicion of drunk driving. With an arrest, the accused still has a number of defenses that can be raised in order to avoid a conviction. If you have questions, an experienced criminal defense attorney can help.
Source: MyCentralJersey.com, “A holiday plan: If you drink, don’t drive.” November 19, 2013