(Submitted by Safe Communities of Wood County)
This holiday season, Safe Communities of Wood County is teaming up with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to remind all drivers that Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving and to always plan a sober ride home before holiday parties begin.
Too many people take to the roadways after consuming alcohol because they think they are “okay to drive.” During the holiday season, festive parties and celebrations with alcohol contribute to the number of impaired drivers on our roadways.
Drunk driving kills thousands of people in our country every year. In 2015, 10,265 people died in crashes that involved a driver with a blood alcohol concentration over the legal limit of .08. In December 2015, there were 840 people killed in crashes involving at least one drunk driver or motorcycle operator. From 2011 to 2015, 3,983 people were killed in December crashes that involved drivers with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) over the legal limit of .08.
Remember these tips to avoid a DUI and to keep our roads safe:
– Even one drink can impair judgment and reaction time and increase the risk of getting arrested for driving drunk or causing a crash.
– If planning to drink, do not plan to drive. Plan ahead; designate a sober driver before the party begins.
– If you have been drinking, do not drive—even a short distance. Call a taxi, a sober friend or family member, or use public transportation. Try NHTSA’s SaferRide mobile app, which allows users to call a taxi or a friend and identify their location so they can be picked up.
– Help others be responsible. If you see someone you think is about to drive while impaired, take their keys, take them home, or help them arrange a safe ride home.
– If you see a driver on the road that appears to be intoxicated, contact police when it is safe to do so. Your actions could help save a life.
Keep your holidays happy and safe by letting someone sober do the driving. Remember: Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving.
