According to Fox News, July 4 might be the worst time to be on the road in terms of alcohol-related car wrecks. It even beats out New Year's Day. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) data shows that July 4 "almost always tops the list" of deadliest holidays, when more than half of fatal wrecks involve alcohol on average.
Fox News quotes former Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood (who just left office yesterday and is succeeded by Anthony Foxx):
"Drunk driving is a major public safety threat that still claims thousands of lives every year. Many states continue to step up their efforts to get drunk drivers off our roads, but the numbers tell us we have to do more."
This quote goes back more than a couple years, but he may as well have been speaking today. Law enforcement continues to "step up efforts" to enforce laws against drunk driving. Arizona, for instance, has some of the toughest DUI laws in the country.
The best thing to do this July 4 holiday is avoid drinking and driving. If you get into an alcohol-related accident and injure someone, you'll likely face charges for vehicular assault, with the distinct possibility of jail time.