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MCC Daily Tribune

National Drunk and Drugged Driving Prevention Month

Each December, we go out for fun, parties and drinks with family and friends. But we ask you to stop and think for a second about being responsible. December is National Drunk and Drugged Driving Prevention Month and since the holiday season has a higher accident rate than others on average, it is important to echo the message of consciousness of being in a proper state behind the wheel. According to the National Safety Council, over 40,000 people died in alcohol-related traffic accidents last year. So this year, stay safe during the holidays.

HOW TO OBSERVE NATIONAL DRUNK AND DRUGGED DRIVING PREVENTION MONTH

  1. Do a sober period

    During December, try to challenge yourself and set a period of time without drinking alcohol. Be it one week, two weeks, make it as long as you would like. You may even see some benefits on laying off the drinks for a while, save money, lose weight, and much more.

  2. Take a cab or use a ride-sharing app after a party or visiting a bar

    No one says you can't party and let loose for a while. But if you've had too much, get home safely. Call a cab, or better yet, use your ride-sharing app and let the professionals do the driving. That way, you'll be around for the festivities next year.

  3. Be a Designated Driver

    You'll make a great impression for being the one friend others can trust to drive back home. It is an overall small sacrifice for a night that won’t affect your chances to have a great time, so offer yourself up and give your friends a helping hand!

5 FACTS ABOUT DRUNK DRIVING

  1. 27 people daily

    Is the amount of people who die in a drunk driving accident in the US

  2. South Africa has the highest rate

    Around six out of every ten fatalities on South Africa's roads are drunk-driving related accidents.

  3. The first ever arrest was in 1897

    George Smith was the first person ever convicted of drunk driving after he slammed his cab into a building.

  4. The two deadliest holidays

    On Average, New Year’s Eve is the day with most DUI arrests, but Fourth of July has the most drunk driving related deaths.

  5. There is no “sobering” element

    Neither coffee or showers will make a person sober up, only time does.

WHY NATIONAL DRUNK AND DRUGGED DRIVING PREVENTION MONTH IS IMPORTANT

  1. Traffic-related deaths spike between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day

    With all the drinking during the holiday season, it's not a stretch to see why so many people are dying on the roads. Consider this dreadful statistic: Over 45 people are killed each day by an alcohol-impaired driver and those numbers climb at the end of the year. Additionally, in 68 percent of traffic fatalities involving a drunk driver, there was a Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) of 0.15 or higher with the legal limit being 0.08.

  2. Drugs also contribute to traffic deaths

    Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) has expanded its mission statement to include drug-impaired driving. Mixing alcohol with opioids may increase a driver's sedation, which can lead to serious consequences on the road. In 2017, researchers at Columbia University reported a seven-fold jump (since 1995) in the number of drivers killed while operating a vehicle under the influence of prescription drugs.

  3. Pedestrian deaths increase

    It's especially true on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays when holiday parties are in full swing and the bars are packed. So the fatality risk goes both ways. It's more likely that an alcohol or drug-impaired driver will accidentally kill either themselves, their passengers, or a pedestrian — or that an inebriated pedestrian will walk into the path of an innocent driver.

Sarah Benedict
MCC Wellness Council
12/07/2022