Millions of people are hitting the road this Thanksgiving. But there's a warning out for people who are traveling Wednesday night. Thanksgiving Eve is typically one of the most dangerous nights on the road.
- Night dubbed "Black-Out Wednesday","Drinksgiving"
- AAA: Alcohol-related traffic fatalities jump from 28 to 45 per day during holidays
- Law enforcement encourages people to plan driving arrangements ahead
The night has been dubbed "Black-Out Wednesday" or "Drinksgiving" by many people who are celebrating the holidays.
"With all the colleges in our area, many students are off and visiting family and catching up with old high school friends they may not have seen in awhile," said Ellen Snelling with the Hillsborough County Anti-Drug Alliance. "It's just a social time. For example, you have your family coming from up north where it's cold and even snowing and they all want to come here, and then they want to get together the night before and drink."
According to AAA, alcohol-related traffic fatalities jump from 28 to 45 per day during the holiday season.
The Florida Highway Patrol, along with other law enforcement agencies like the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office, will be out monitoring roadways throughout the season for drunk drivers.
"We look for people unable to maintain a single lane, following too closely, they'll fall asleep at intersections or run red lights or in worse case scenarios they'll drive the wrong direction on the interstate," said Lt. Chris Baumann with the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office.
The one thing they're urging people to do is to have a plan.
"Whether it's a designated sober driver, or using a service like Lyft or Uber or a cab, just do not drink and drive," said Snelling.
Law enforcement cautions DUI's can be costly and deadly.
"We want people to remember these holiday seasons because of the fun times they spend with their families and not to have to plan a funeral," said Baumann.