DECEMBER IS NATIONAL DRUNK AND DRUGGED DRIVING MONTH
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Jennifer Johnson (410) 219-3947 (Office)
(410) 251-5379 (Cell)
DECEMBER IS NATIONAL DRUNK AND DRUGGED DRIVING MONTH
(December 1, 2021, Salisbury, MD) The holiday season between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve is one of the busiest on the nation’s roadways, and also one of the most dangerous due to the high incidence of alcohol and drug related traffic crashes.
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% of traffic fatalities involving a drunk driver, there was a Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) of 0.15 or higher with the legal limit being 0.8.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, drugs are involved in about 18% of motor vehicle driver deaths while drunk driving accidents account for 31% of all motor vehicle accidents.
Most people would never imagine that their holiday celebration could cause a fatality or imprisonment, but the risks associated with driving while impaired are real and can result in tragic consequences for everyone involved.
The following includes a few simple tips for celebrating and driving safely this holiday season:
- Designate a non-drinking driver ahead of time.
- If drinking alcohol at a party or other celebration, allow at least one hour between drinks. It takes one hour to get rid of one drink from your body (one drink is equal to a 12 ounce beer, a 5 ounce glass of wine, or 1.5 ounces of liquor).
- Set limits beforehand of the number of drinks to have and stick with it.
- Alternate drinking alcoholic beverages with soda, juice or water, and eat food.
- Don’t mix alcohol with other drugs.
- Don’t ride with someone who is impaired. Use other means of transportation such as a taxi, public transportation, Transportation Network Company/TNC (Lyft or Uber) or driver who is sober.
For more information or to get involved in the effort to reduce drunk and drugged driving in Wicomico County, please contact the Wicomico County Health Department at (410) 219-7544, visit www.wicomicohealth.org or connect with us on Face book, Instagram (WicomicoHealth) or Twitter (@WicomicoHealth). More information is also available on the Drug Free Wicomico Face book page.
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