This holiday season, give your family and friends the best gift – a safe arrival! Each December, the White House recognizes National Drunk and Drugged Driving Prevention Month.
Beginning in 1981, this month was selected to recognize the risks of drunk and drugged driving. Unfortunately, the highest incidence of fatal car accidents occur in the time period between during Thanksgiving and New Years. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, drugs (for example, marijuana and cocaine) are involved in about 18 percent of motor vehicle driver deaths while drunk driving accidents account for 31 percent of all motor vehicle accidents. Additionally, thousands of drivers and passengers lose their lives each year because of drunk and drugged driving.
Accidents due to drunk and drugged driving are 100% preventable. Here are a few ways to take action:
- Figure out a plan for a sober ride home – before you start drinking.
- Take a turn as the non-drinking designated driver (designated drivers should not consume any alcohol).
- If you don’t have a designated driver, use a ride share app like Uber or Lyft, call a taxi, or contact a friend or family member at home.
- As a host, make sure your guests leave sober or have a safe ride home.
When you drive impaired, you aren’t only running the risk of getting pulled over and ticketed, but you are also putting yourself and others in danger.
