This month serves as a crucial reminder to drivers about the dangers of impaired driving and the importance of making responsible choices behind the wheel. The holiday season often brings celebrations, gatherings, and increased travel, making it crucial to address the issue of impaired driving. By raising awareness about the dangers of driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs, we can help prevent accidents, injuries, and even fatalities.
Impaired driving is the operation of a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or another substance. On average, three in five people will be involved in a crash due to impaired driving in their lifetime. Impaired driving is entirely preventable. Know the facts and talk with others about the dangers of driving under the influence of alcohol or other drugs.
- Every day, about 800 people are injured in a drunk-driving crash.
- Every day in America, another 29 people die as a result of drunk-driving crashes. That’s one person every 50 minutes.
- In 4 out of 7 states that legalized recreational cannabis, deaths from car crashes rose 10%, according to a University of Illinois Chicago study.
Traffic crashes are a leading cause of teen fatalities. In a survey of residents in select large U.S. cities, 86 percent reported concerns about impaired driving, and almost two-thirds of respondents wanted officials to prioritize action to stop impaired driving.
Having a plan that includes a designated driver, a taxi or ride share, or an overnight stay at a friend’s home just might save a life. Just a single drink can cause a decline in visual function, mental judgment and motor skills, resulting in driver impairment.
In the 1980s, the United States saw a significant reduction in alcohol-involved crashes due to lowering the legal driving limit to 0.08 blood alcohol concentration, increasing the minimum legal drinking age to 21 and instituting educational campaigns about the dangers of drinking and driving.
However, in the decades since, drivers with alcohol concentrations at or above 0.08 have remained involved in about one-third of all traffic fatalities in the U.S. That’s about 10,000 lives lost every year.
Alcohol is only one cause of impaired driving. Drugs — including opioids, marijuana and some over-the-counter medicines — can impair driving by causing drowsiness, altering visual functions and affecting mental judgment and motor skills. Other factors, such as fatigue and stress, also can impair your ability to drive. Drivers should avoid driving while impaired by any of these factors, just as they would if they consumed alcohol.
For more information visit www.nsc.org