Drunk driving is against the law in all 50 states, but despite that, drunk driving accidents and fatalities continue to happen. This is especially true during the holiday season in New Jersey.
According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, drunk driving accidents cause the loss of hundreds of lives each year. Over the past five years, 300 people, on average, died in drunk driving accidents or from drunk-driving-related injuries in the week between Christmas and New Year’s. Of those 300 deaths, more than a quarter are the result of an impaired driver. In December of 2016 alone, 781 people lost their lives in drunk-driving-related crashes.
Law enforcement increases patrols throughout the holiday season and marketers take extra measures to communicate the consequences of drunk driving between the months of October and January, but even with those extra precautions, drunk-driving crashes and fatalities continue to skyrocket around Christmas time. New Jersey Residents can do their parts by abiding by some simple yet under-utilized safety tips, provided by the CDC:
- If one does drink, he or she should not drive – instead, he or she should call a taxi or ride share service.
- If one sees someone who has been drinking with a set of keys, he or she should take them and call a cab on the impaired person’s behalf.
- If one plans on hosting a party during which he or she plans to serve alcohol, he or she should encourage guests to plan ahead and appeaing a sober driver. He or she should also offer plenty of alcohol-free beverages and food.
- Drivers and passengers should always buckle up, regardless of whether or not they have been drinking.
The number one thing people can do to lessen their risks of being in or causing a drunk driving accident, however, is to not drink and to encourage others to do the same. By taking the above precautions, New Jersey residents can keep the roads safer during the holiday season.
