Juneteenth is a relatively new federal holiday, although its roots go back to the end of the Civil War. The celebration reflects when the last slaves in Texas finally became emancipated in 1865, many months after the end of the Civil War and the widespread enforcement of the Emancipation Proclamation.
A federal holiday since 2021, Juneteenth is a celebration of American progress and history. Families often get together on June 19th to recognize the end of slavery within the United States. The traditional celebrations for Juneteenth include family cookouts and barbecues.
In this regard, Juneteenth largely mirrors how people celebrate the Fourth of July, Memorial Day and Labor Day. Most years, those other summertime holidays tend to see a noticeable uptick in police efforts to enforce driving under the influence (DUI) laws. Should people expect enhanced enforcement for DUI infractions around Juneteenth as well?
Summer cookouts have an association with drinking
Those driving to or from summer holiday celebrations may notice more police cruisers on the road than they see on typical days. The reason that police departments tend to increase their enforcement efforts for drunk driving around federal holidays is that many of the traditional celebrations for those holidays involve alcohol consumption.
People often enjoy alcoholic beverages at family get-togethers, including barbecues. Federal holiday celebrations tend to see a noticeable increase in deadly drunk driving crashes because people drive home after drinking. That increase has prompted many police departments to focus more on traffic enforcement on those federal holidays and the weekends closest to them.
While Juneteenth as a federal holiday is still relatively new, the chances are good that enforcement efforts may be higher around the holiday. There are not yet statistics affirming a noticeable increase in deadly drunk driving crashes around Juneteenth, a few more years of widespread celebrations are likely necessary to establish whether cultural practices drive an increase in impairment-related wrecks.
Police departments may choose to increase patrols or even arrange for checkpoints around June 19th as a way to better ensure public safety. Anyone celebrating summer holidays that involve cookouts and alcohol could be at risk of DUI charges. Knowing when the state is most eager to enforce drunk driving laws could help people avoid unnecessary arrest and prosecution accordingly.
