EXETER TWP., Pa. – Thanksgiving Eve is one of the biggest drinking nights of the year — so big that police across Berks County even have a nickname for it: “Drinksgiving.”
Sgt. David Bentz with the Exeter Township Police Department says the night before Thanksgiving brings large crowds to local bars and social clubs as college students return home and families gather for the holiday.
“Kids are home from college, folks are off on Thursday, and it becomes a night where a lot of people head out to drink,” he said.
Because of that, departments across the county will have extra DUI patrols on the road.
Bentz says the message is simple: Make a plan before you drink.
“Have a safe way home. If you’re going to go out and drink, Uber, Lyft, a designated driver — there’s many, many options,” he said. “DUI is a totally preventable crime.”
Police expect this year to look much like last year. Departments will be keeping an eye on known trouble spots and areas near bars and social clubs. Bentz says the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation helps fund additional officers specifically targeting impaired drivers.
And Drinksgiving is only the beginning. Black Friday, holiday parties, Christmas, and New Year’s Eve are also major DUI enforcement periods.
“We’ll put DUI checkpoints and stop every car, looking for those drunk drivers when it’s appropriate,” Bentz said.
He adds one more reminder: The best protection against an impaired driver is wearing a seatbelt.
“Wear your seatbelt as though your life depends on it because it really does,” Bentz said.