Thanksgiving has come and gone, and now most Pennsylvanians are preparing for the year-end holiday season. Holidays are a great time to gather with family and friends and join in some holiday cheer, but any Philadelphia DUI attorney would likely point out that this is the time of year to be on the lookout for increased DUI patrols.

Many people probably didn’t take this into consideration over the Thanksgiving holiday, and some are now probably looking for a drunk driving defense attorney. A recent news story pointed out that there would be an estimated 1.6 million Pennsylvania residents traveling over 50 miles for the holiday, which makes for a situation ripe for drunk driving. Some statistics surrounding the holiday can seem startling, with a reported 122 car accidents and 1,358 citations over the 2011 Thanksgiving holiday. There were also 28 DUI arrests made during that same time period.

With an increased police presence on the roadways to monitor holiday travel, Philadelphia residents will want to be sure that they do not put themselves in a position were legal troubles cloud the holiday festivities. However, for anyone arrested for DUI during the holiday season, it is important to remember that the police have very specific procedures that they must follow during a DUI stop. Failure to comply with those procedures could lead to dismissed or reduced charges.

Hopefully all of our Pennsylvania readers will be able to enjoy the holidays without worrying about an increased police presence. But, for those who do end up in a legal bind, getting the right information as soon as possible about all of the legal options can lead to a more favorable result.

Source: CBSNews.com, “Pennsylvanians ready to hit road for Thanksgiving,” Nov. 21, 2012