The holiday season should be a joyful time of celebration with our family and friends. Often, those celebrations involve alcohol, sometimes resulting in tragedies that have lifelong consequences. A quarter of all adults report drinking more during the holidays than at other times of the year. In 2024, the U.S. experienced 28 alcohol related fatalities per day on highways. And, during holiday periods, fatal crashes involving impaired driving are about 27% more common.
As we celebrate this festive time of year, it is crucial to raise awareness about impaired driving and share practical tips to prevent it.
While drunk driving has decreased over the last 40 years, on average, impaired driving continues to take lives, and in recent years, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there has been a sharp rise in weekend nighttime drivers who tested positive for marijuana. A study conducted by NHTSA between 2019 and 2021 found that among drivers in trauma centers, approximately one-quarter had active THC in their system.
Prevention is key
From December 12 to January 1, the NHTSA is running its Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign, which involves high-visibility law enforcement efforts and public awareness to discourage drunk driving during the busy holiday season.
Unfortunately, all too often, drivers don’t recognize when they are impaired and overestimate their ability to drive under the influence. They leave a holiday party feeling confident that the water, food or coffee they consumed before getting in their vehicle sobered them up. But they are putting their own lives and the lives of others at risk. So, the best way to avoid becoming a holiday statistic is to NEVER DRINK OR USE DRUGS AND DRIVE. PERIOD.
Unfortunately, many of the people who are the victims of drunk driving accidents this time of year aren’t drunk, nor are they driving. Here are some basic precautions you can take to stay safe:
- Don’t ride with an impaired driver, ever. In 2020, 31% of people who died in alcohol-related car crashes were passengers. Don’t take the chance — call a taxi or rideshare for both you and the driver.
- Avoid late-night travel. After midnight is the most dangerous time to be on the roads. If you are leaving an event late, consider stopping for the night at a hotel or rest area.
- Plan ahead. Enjoy holiday parties, but make sure in advance that you know how you are going to get home with a designated, sober driver. If you stay sober, consider road conditions and plan your arrival and departure times so you can take your time and drive safely.
- Keep an eye on the weather. Drunk drivers are a menace on the road at the best of times and become even more lethal when they are dealing with wintery weather. Stay home or stay where you are if weather conditions decline.
- Buckle up. Your seatbelt is your best defense against serious injury or death if you are involved in an incident with an impaired driver.
- Check your car for maintenance issues. If you plan to do a lot of traveling over the holidays, know that highway shoulders for emergency pull-offs are extremely dangerous, especially at night and when impaired drivers are more likely to be on the roads. Before a long trip, get your car checked out and winterized.
- Be well-rested. Defensive driving is essential when sharing the road with drunk drivers. Leave a gathering before you are too tired to drive. It is important to remain alert.
We can all do our part to ensure that the holiday season remains as wonderful as it should. Alcohol- and drug-related accidents are avoidable. Make sure you don’t drink or use drugs and drive and stop your friends and loved ones from getting behind the wheel if they aren’t sober. For additional information visit