CORPUS CHRISTI, Tx — The night before Thanksgiving, also known as Drinksgiving or Blackout Wednesday, is one of the biggest drinking nights of the year. Many people have off of work the next day, on Thanksgiving, and folks visit home for the holidays, which can result in excessive drinking on this night.
“It’s also known as Drinksgiving. And its actually more popular than New Years Eve or St. Patrick’s Day for drinking. It’s known, you know, as a big, big drinking holiday," Ana Verley, Victim Services Specialist Mothers Against Drunk Driving said.
According to Mothers Against Drunk Driving, in 2022, 35% of the drunk driving fatalities for the year were on the night before Thanksgiving.
"That's a huge number. And that is a scary number. That should be scary. That should really make people stop and think," Verley said.
The Corpus Christi Police Department urges people to have fun with their loved ones around the holidays, but to be cautious about it.
“Have fun. Be safe. If you know you’re going to drink, be responsible and get a designated driver to drive you home. Use rideshare, or there’s a taxi, or any of the Lyft, Uber. The cost is much cheaper than you know being arrested for a DWI, or injuring yourself or somebody else," CCPD Public Information Officer Jennifer Collier said.
Some local restaurants and bars in the Coastal Bend, like La Playa by the Bay, said they will be extra vigilant to make sure their customers make smart and safe decisions on the night before Thanksgiving this year.
“So, drinking and driving is never okay," Jerry Rowe, the general manager of La Playa By the Bay said. “We always do take precautions as far as like making sure that we’re not over-serving our customers and just keeping an eye on people, and if they are intoxicated, calling them an Uber, making sure they have a ride to make sure they are not the ones that are driving.”
The Corpus Christi Police Department is also preparing for an excess of drinkers on Thanksgiving Eve.
"We'll have patrol officers conducting traffic stops and looking out for drunk drivers. Our DWI enforcement unit will also be out and we will have zero tolerance for drunk drivers. We will also have a special bar enforcement going on as well," Collier said.
Mothers Against Drunk Driving advises victims of drunk driving accidents who may want help or to speak about their experiences, to contact their 24-hour hotline, 1-877-MADD-HELP or (1-877-623-3435).
“We’re not against people drinking. The issue is the drinking and the driving," Verley said.
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