Tonight is Thanksgiving Eve but some also call it Drinksgiving or Blackout Wednesday. You’re likely to see crowded bars and more police on patrol.
Indiana State Police Sgt. Ted Bohner says you might assume that New Year’s Eve or July 4 is the busiest bar night of the year, but actually it’s tonight.
“A lot of the college-age students, they’re back for break now, and go out and they see each other, and it’s just a big bar night, and that can make things dangerous on the roads," Bohner says.
Starting tonight and running through the end of the year, the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute offers federally funded overtime pay for officers at all departments. Many troopers take the chance to make some extra money.
Bohner says with rideshare so available these days, it just doesn’t make sense to risk driving drunk, even if you think you’re OK because you switched to drinking water near the end of the night.
“You’re walking out to your car and you’re like, ‘I think I’m good,'" Bohner says. "But as soon as you have that, ‘I think I’m good,’ that’s your clue that you’re not. That’s when it would be better and a lot safer to have something that’s a sure bet, and that’s a sober driver.”
If you see any drivers that appear drunk, he advises getting a vehicle description and location, and calling 911.
