Be a Responsible Driver This Holiday Season.

• December 10, 2019
• Automobile Accidents, Driver Safety

December is a festive time with many holidays where people engage in drinking alcohol.  It makes it a good time for alcohol awareness campaigns such as “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over,” “Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving,” and National Impaired Driving Prevention Month.

No matter the name of the campaign, the bottom line is that drinking alcohol and driving do not mix. Alcohol use impairs judgment, delays reaction times, and can result in deadly consequences.

According to the NHTSA, nearly 37,500 people were killed in motor vehicle traffic crashes in 2016. 28% of these fatalities involved crashes with a driver’s blood alcohol concentration (BAC) at .08, which is the legal limit.

Every year, between Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s, there is an even greater number of deaths due to drunk driving. In December alone, 781 people died in drunk driving-related accidents.

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Stay Safe. Be a Responsible Driver.

Enjoy the holiday season but do it in a safe manner so that you, your loved ones and others do not suffer the consequences of an alcohol-related accident.

Arrive Home Alive

Know how you will be getting home at the end of your outing. Be sure to have a back-up plan in case something changes.

• Identify a designated driver and ensure that person has not had any alcohol to drink before getting into a car with him or her. If s/he has, go to your back up plan.
• Carry contact information for cab companies or car services in your wallet or on your phone. As we get closer to the holidays, some companies may even offer special fares.
• Download ride-sharing apps to your phone. You can even pre-populate your information to make it a quicker process.
• Know what public transportation runs by where you will be, such as the bus.

Safety Tips When Drinking Alcohol

• When drinking alcohol, allow at least one hour between drinks because it takes one hour to get rid of one drink from your body.
• Set limits as to the number of drinks you plan to have.
• Alternate drinking alcoholic drinks with non-alcoholic drinks, such as soda, juice and water. It is always helpful to eat food while drinking alcohol, too.
• Do not mix alcohol with over-the-counter or prescription medications or illegal drugs.

Hosting an Event Serving Alcohol

• Know who the designated drivers of your guests are. If they do not have one, know how they plan to get home.
• Collect each guest’s keys as they arrive. Do not return the keys to someone who has been drinking; give the keys to that person’s designated driver or other ride home.
• Serve food or snacks and non-alcoholic drinks.
• Stop serving alcohol 1 to 2 hours before your party ends.

Need More Information?

• The Truth about Holiday Spirits
• 6 Tips for Hosting a Safe Holiday Party
• Get the Facts at MADD – Tie One on for Safety
• NHTSA – Drunk Driving
• Impaired Driving: What Does .08 Look Like?

Stay safe this holiday season. Drive responsibly.

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