This holiday season, the Mountain Home Police Department (MHPD) is teaming up with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to remind all drivers about the dangers of drinking and driving.Authorities will be working together to remind everyone of the importance of planning a sober ride home before heading out to enjoy the holiday festivities and en route to seasonal travel destinations. This holiday season, and every day, remember: Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving.
Sergeant Bryan Corbett of the MHPD says the holidays are a special time for every community, and it’s more important than every for authorities to stress the importance of safe driving habits. Corbett adds authorities know everyone is rushing around, finishing those last-minute errands and attending various holiday parties. But before you ever head out to festivities, make sure you plan a sober ride home, because driving drunk should never be an option.
Corbett reminds the public even one drink is one drink too many.
According to the NHTSA, 37,133 people were killed in motor vehicle traffic crashes in 2017, and 29% of those fatalities occurred in crashes in which the driver had a blood alcohol concentration over the legal limit of .08.
In fact, 885 people lost their lives in traffic crashes involving drunk drivers in the month of December 2017 alone. The holidays prove to be extra dangerous to drivers, as more people – drivers and pedestrians alike – are out on the roads.
Drunk driving isn’t the only risk on the road: drug-impaired driving is also an increasing problem for men and women alike. If drivers are impaired by any substance – alcohol or other drugs – they should not get behind the wheel of a vehicle. It is illegal in all states to drive impaired by alcohol or drugs.
Authorities encourage the public to “Party with a Plan.” Plan ahead and be honest with yourself. If you plan to drink, plan for a sober driver to take you home. Additionally, if you see a drunk driver on the road, contact the MHPD or 911 to report it. If you have a friend who is about to drink and drive, take the keys away and make arrangements to get your friend home safely.
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