As we approach the holiday season, celebrations are taking place all around us. Many times these celebrations include beverages that contain alcohol. It is a good time to be reminded that all 50 states consider a blood alcohol content (BAC) of .08 to be illegal, but even lesser amounts can impair judgment and contribute to an accident.
To see the effects of different BAC levels, visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website here. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), over the past 5 years, an average of 300 people died in drunk-driving accidents between Christmas and New Year’s alone.
Because of these staggering figures, the NHTSA has dedicated December 13th to 31st as their annual Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over holiday campaign.
Registry Partners wants all of you to have a safe and happy holiday season but we urge you to celebrate responsibly. Some helpful tips are provided below:
- If you plan to drink, be sure you have a trusted designated driver.
- Don’t let others drive impaired.
- If you have been drinking, call a taxi or ride share service like Uber or Lyft.
- NHTSA also has a “Safer Ride” app that you can download to your smartphone on Google Play and the App Store. The app looks like this:
The app allows you to:
- Get a taxi by providing a list of all the local taxi providers
- Call a friend/family member
- Helps find your exact location if you are unsure
- Most states have sober ride programs that will provide a safe ride home. Click here to see what is available in your area.
- Always wear your seatbelt.
Drunk driving is an incredibly common problem across the United States taking more than 10,000 lives every year. Advocacy and awareness are important and may save the lives of your loved ones. Click here for a 360-degree video web experience of a drunk driving crash scene from NHTSA. Sharing this with family, friends, children and other loved ones may make them think twice before getting behind the wheel after drinking.
We wish you a safe and happy holiday season!