Drugged Driving

A study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration showed an increase in deaths from impaired driving crashes during the holiday season. The analysis states “fatalities associated with impaired driving, expressed as number of fatalities per day, are higher during the Christmas and New Year’s Day holiday periods as compared to fatalities during the other days in December.”

Of course, this serious issue requires year–round attention. In 2008, 11,773 people were killed in alcohol–impaired driving crashes and 1.4 million were arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol or narcotics, according to the Centers for Disease Control.

Make sure you and your loved ones get home safely and live to celebrate the new year:

Never drink and drive: Even 1 or 2 drinks affect your driving ability. Your best bet is not drinking or staying home.

Have a designated driver: Find a trustworthy person to drive home; then find ways to reward their generosity.

Drive defensively: If you’re driving, remain alert to other drivers and your surroundings on the road.

Don’t let friends drive drunk: Ignore your friend’s convincing pleas and talk them out of driving.

Take a taxi: Arrange for a cab or driving service; keep the contact info in your cell phone just in case.