From SAFE COMMUNITIES OF WOOD COUNTY
Most people have heard it dozens of times over their lifetimes – drunk driving is illegal and deadly. Nationally, it is illegal to drive with a BAC of .08 g/dl or higher. A small amount of alcohol can affect one’s driving ability.
Costs of drunk driving
- The financial impact from impaired-driving crashes is significant. Crashes in which alcohol was the cause resulted in $57 billion in economic costs.
- Drinking and driving is a risk no one should take. Doing so can cause injury or death to the driver, passengers, and others on the road. The consequences of drunk driving could be life-altering.
In Wood County, there were 209 total crashes involving alcohol in 2024:
- 3 involved fatalities
- 32% involved younger drivers
- 69% involved roadway departure
- 26% were intersection-related
- 15% involved speeding
- 100% were preventable
Statistics on 2025 crashes won’t be available until March 2026.
Plan ahead for a safe celebration:
- Always drive 100% sober. Even one alcoholic beverage could be one too many.
- Plan ahead: Before having a drink, designate a sober driver to get people home safely. If people wait until they’ve been drinking to make this decision, they may not make the best one.
- There are options to get home safely: Designated a sober driver or call a taxi or rideshare. Getting home safely is always worth it.
- If it’s someone’s turn to be the designated driver, they should take that job seriously and not drink.
- If a person sees a drunk driver on the road, they are encouraged to contact law enforcement by calling 6-7-7 or 9-1-1.
If a friend is about to drink and drive, take away the keys and let a sober driver take them home safely.
Everyone is encouraged to make the 2025 holiday season a safe and happy one.
