Certain kinds of criminal enforcement efforts fluctuate depending on the season. Shoplifting can be an issue around the holidays, when people feel pressure to have gifts but may have very little money available to buy them. The summer months often experience an increase in juvenile criminal activity, as teenagers who are not in school might engage in inappropriate conduct to stave off boredom.
Therefore, police officers tend to focus on certain types of crime at times when they will seemingly be a bigger concern for the public. For example, the fall tends to involve an increased focus on monitoring the roads for impaired drivers. What prompts the strict enforcement of driving under the influence (DUI) laws during the autumn season?
Back-to-school parties, especially at college
Young adults are notorious for using any opportunity to socialize and possibly get a little wild. High schoolers sometimes throw parties fueled by alcohol purchased by strangers or even parents. College students are also very likely to throw and attend raucous social gatherings oh where people consume far more alcohol than they should. Particularly in areas close to college campuses or with a large number of student tenants, there will likely be an increased police presence as officers patrol, especially on the weekends, looking for impaired student drive.
The fall holidays
Adults often don’t celebrate Halloween by going out to seek candy but rather by drinking. Thanksgiving and the days leading up to it are notorious for huge numbers of patrons flooding bars and other establishments licensed to sell alcohol. From hard cider to seasonal beers, like Oktoberfest, there are many drinks that people will enjoy during the fall holidays and throughout the fall season that might lead to drunk driving.
Football season
Many professional and college sports have a fan culture that involves alcohol. However, the strong association between football and beer particularly means that the beginning of the professional and college seasons often see many inebriated fans needing to get home after games or viewing parties. The issue is so serious that organizations seeking to prevent drunk driving sometimes attend football games in the hopes of preventing tragic collisions on the road.
The shorter days
Many people have an unspoken personal rule that they don’t start drinking until the sun sets. Those who have had too much to drink will likely wait until twilight or later to try to drive home. A large portion of drunk driving crashes occur after nightfall, which means that officers will be on high alert looking for impaired motorists earlier in the day and possibly in higher numbers during the fall season because of the changing daylight hours.
Recognizing how seasonal factors affect police activity may help those accused of breaking the law effectively counter the narrative put together by a prosecutor and an arresting officer. Seeking legal guidance is a good way to start crafting a legal strategy.