The holiday season is often a joyous time for family and friends in America. Sadly, the increased festivities also mean an increased number of impaired drivers traveling on our roadways. To help keep roads safe for holiday travelers, state and local law enforcement, in partnership with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), will be looking for drunk drivers during a special Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over enforcement mobilization from December 15 to 31, 2017.
According to NHTSA, 37,461 people were killed in motor vehicle traffic crashes in 2016, and 28 percent (10,497) of those fatalities occurred in a crash in which a driver had a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) over the legal limit of .08. Drunk-driving fatalities account for more than one-quarter of all vehicle-related fatalities. In just the month of December that year, 781 people lost their lives in drunk-driving-related crashes.
Nationally, from 2012 to 2016, a total of 14,472 people lost their lives in motor vehicle traffic crashes during the month of December, and 28 percent (3,995) died in a crash that involved a driver with a BAC of .08 or higher.
Driving drunk is a deadly choice that too often carries deadly consequences. The choice should always be simple: Never drive while impaired. Even one drink may be one too many. Most of these senseless vehicle crashes could have been avoided if the impaired driver had simply not gotten behind the wheel.
By making the choice to drink and drive, drunk drivers put themselves, their loved ones, and the loved ones of others at risk for injury or death. Choosing this behavior is selfish and reckless.
For this reason, law enforcement will be out in full force to seek out drunk drivers. Anyone caught driving while impaired faces significant legal and financial consequences.
With a DUI, a driver faces jail time, the loss of a driver’s license, and higher insurance rates, along with dozens of other expenses, including attorney fees, court costs, car towing and repairs, and lost wages due to time off from work. There is also the humiliation and consequences of telling family, friends, and employers of the arrest.
If you’re celebrating the holidays with alcohol, plan for a sober ride home ahead of time and never risk driving after drinking. Even refusing to take a breathalyzer test in many jurisdictions has consequences, including the immediate loss of your driver’s license and the impoundment of your vehicle. If you think you won’t pass a breathalyzer test, you don’t belong behind the wheel.
Travelers should follow these tips to stay safe on the road this holiday season:
- Remember that it is never okay to drink and drive. Even if you’ve had only one alcoholic beverage, designate a sober driver or plan to use public transportation to get home safely.
- Download NHTSA’s SaferRide mobile app, available on Google Play for Android devices and Apple’s iTunes Store for iOS devices. SaferRide allows users to call a taxi or a predetermined friend, and identifies the user’s location so he or she can be picked up.
- Use your community’s sober ride program.
- If you see a drunk driver on the road, contact your local law enforcement.
- Have a friend who is about to drink and drive? Take the keys away and make arrangements to get your friend home safely.
The festivities are meant to be enjoyed, but always drink responsibly, and never choose to drive drunk. As you head out from your holiday parties, always remember: Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over.
