Impaired Driver Prevention Month

This year, President Biden announced December to be National Impaired Driver Prevention Month. The selection of December for this designation is not just happenstance. December is a busy month for social engagements and holiday celebrations. Coming off the Thanksgiving buzz, most Americans have shifted into holiday mode, working up to Christmas and capping off the season on New Years Eve.

Making the most of the season includes not only celebrating with family and friends, but making it home safely after each event. The good news is we’ve gotten a bit smarter around how we handle things like alcohol consumption, and changes in technology and transportation options have been major contributors in helping us arrive home safely.

Having a plan is key. If traveling in a group, a designated driver is a brilliant approach. Bars and restaurants are on board as most offer free non-alcoholic drinks for the designated driver in the group. More good news for those good Samaritans who offer to stay sober all night is the expanded non-alcoholic beverage market. What used to be a very narrow – and really not very tasty – selection has now broadened to include high-quality craft beers.

If you don’t have the Designated Driver option, ride-share is the next best thing. Services like Lyft and Uber are a simple click away on your smartphone, and unlike the old days when you called a taxi and had to wait a while, simply open that phone app, order your ride, and most ride share drivers show up in 10-15 minutes. Always a good idea to let your friends know you’ll be ride-sharing home, so they can help make sure you actually do instead of deciding, while impaired, you’re perfectly fine to drive.

The above options apply to alcohol-related impairment, but being tired and drowsy can be just as dangerous. We tend to stay out later and sleep less during a busy holiday season, so being tired can cause us to fall asleep while behind the wheel, or so make us distracted to the point of having our reaction time affected. Don’t be afraid to use a ride share service if you think you’re just too tired to safely make it home. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 1 in 25 adult drivers report having fallen asleep while driving, and many more admit to driving when they were sleep-deprived. What drivers may not realize is how much drowsy driving puts them – and others – at risk. An estimated 6,400 people die annually in crashes involving drowsy driving, according to the National Sleep Foundation. So if you’re tired, open that app!

We wish everyone a joyful and safe holiday season!