Have you made your New Years’ resolutions yet? Did it include a resolution to never drink and drive?

We ask that you resolve to never get behind the wheel while intoxicated. Make it your New Years’ resolution today. It is dangerous to you and hundreds if not thousands of people that you drive alongside the road when engaged DUI driving.

The advice is a reminder in light of a recent suspected San Diego DUI car accident that has injured four people. The accident occurred earlier this week and drinking and driving is thought to have been the cause.

According to Fox 5 San Diego, four people, three of which have been suffering from life-threatening injuries, were being treated at a local hospital after an SUV crashed head-on into another vehicle while traveling the wrong-way on northbound on I-5 near Route 163. Alcohol is considered to be a factor in this accident.

Reports indicate the accident caused a massive collision in which one person was trapped within the pileup. Emergency officials were fortunately able to free the individual but serious injuries have resulted from the collision.

The accident occurred at 2:30 a.m. on Tuesday earlier this week. The driver in question was arrested on suspicion of drunken driving the California Highway Patrol has reported.

NEW YEAR, NEW RESOLVE TO NEVER DRIVE UNDER THE INFLUENCE

In 2015, we ask that all drivers make the resolve to never drive under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Sadly, too many DUI-related accidents occur in San Diego on a near-daily basis. It begins with one person – you – to make the right choices and drive responsibly.

Did you know that three people are killed every two hours as a result of alcohol-related car accidents? According to the Bureau of Transportation and the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology, drinking and driving has also resulted in thousands of deaths each year including multiple injuries, arrests and property damage. An estimated 112 million drinking and driving episodes are yielded each year. Nearly 81 percent of these drivers are considered to be men.

These staggering statistics are a grave reminder that we must be vigilant drivers at all times because the truth is that we could be driving alongside a drunken driver at any given moment.

Over the years, we have doled out advice on how to prevent your own drinking and driving. Although we still strongly advise that individuals who are prone to drinking and driving seek help and always choose a designated driver, we want to make sure that everyone can stay safe on the roadways including sober drivers. If you’re a sober driver and suspect someone is driving under the influence, here’s what you can do:

IF YOU SEE A SUSPECTED DRUNK DRIVER, CALL 9-11

Swerving, erratic driving, too-slow driving, stop-and-go behavior… these signs point to potential drunk driving. Don’t hesitate to pull over your vehicle and make a safe call to report the drunken driver to authorities. You never know whose life you could save by making the call.

TAKE KEYS AWAY

If you’re a party host or just hanging with a group of people at a bar or club, and you suspect that a person is in no condition to drive, take away the individual’s keys. It’s a safe alternative to the catastrophe that could occur if the person chooses to drink and drive. Get car keys by asking to put a jacket away in their car and simply don’t return the keys. Take a cab ride home.

WHEN HOSTING A PARTY, SERVE PROTEIN AND WATER, TOO

Always have multiple food items rich in protein when serving alcohol. Although food will not negate the effects of alcohol, it will affect the absorption rate of alcohol within the system. For detailed information on how alcohol, food and body type and weight combine, click here to read “Absorption Rate Factors” published by the McDonald Center for Student Well-Being at University of Notre Dame.

IF A SAN DIEGO DUI-RELATED INJURY OCCURS

If you or someone you know was injured as a result of a suspected San Diego DUI accident, you may be entitled to financial compensation. Talk to a car accident attorney today and gain a FREE legal perspective into your case. We don’t collect until we win your case. Call us today, 24/7: 1-858-551-2090 for a FREE consultation.