There is no denying that drinking with family and friends is always fun. However, your night can quickly turn sour if you attempt to drive after a few drinks. Drunk driving or any kind of impairment is a massive road safety issue in the country. It might seem plainly intuitive to not drive when drunk, but DUIs remain very widespread in the US, costing lives every single day. This is why the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) supports the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign (August 17 to September 5) every year to help educate motorists in the hopes of curbing drunk driving incidents.
Read on to learn more about drunk driving and this important campaign:
How Many People Die From Drunk Driving?
We’ve heard it many times before – don’t drink and drive! However, some people tend to overestimate their capacity and still drive even when they are already tipsy or drunk. This lapse in judgment makes drunk driving crashes, injuries, and fatalities widespread in the US. According to these NHTSA drunk driving statistics, one person dies every forty-five minutes because of a drunk driving accident. This totals to over 11,000 fatalities every year.
The figures from NHTSA below also exhibit an increase in risks involving drunk driving around Labor Day:
- There were 530 traffic-crash fatalities during the Labor Day Holiday weekend in 2020
- 46% of the crashes involved drivers who had drunk alcohol.
- 38% of them involved a drunk driver.
Though common sense dictates that drunk driving is never a rational thing to do, the figures above reinforce that there is still a need for the annual Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign. Aside from the paid media campaign efforts, the NHTSA’s high-visibility enforcement strategy includes collaborating closely with communities in order to educate and remind both pedestrians and drivers about the hazards of drunk driving.
Reminders for Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over 2022
You should practice safe driving habits during Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over 2022 and any time of the year. Here are some reminders you should take note of:
Also, here are some other reminders from the NHTSA for drivers, riders, and hosts of a party, to help prevent untoward drunk-driving-related incidents:
- Plan a ride home even before you go out drinking.
- Don’t let someone drive if they’ve consumed alcohol.
- As a party host, take note of your guests’ ride home and ensure they get home safely.
- Immediately call 911 if you spot a drunk or impaired driver.
- Always wear your seatbelt when you drive.
Did an officer pull you over? No matter what your reason is, here are some tips for this situation:
What Should I Know About Getting Pulled Over?
When an officer pulls you over, it can become stressful regardless of whether you’ve been drinking or not. But most of the time, authorities do this to keep our roads safe. No matter what the reason is, you should know your rights and responsibilities:
If you’d like to learn more about drunk driving and its legal implications, click here.
If you don’t want to get pulled over, don’t put yourself at risk this Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over 2022. Driving under the influence is no joke. Drunk driving has stolen so many lives and has even wasted innocent ones. Our team at Jacoby and Meyers has witnessed firsthand how much pain and suffering people go through because of drunk driving crashes. This 2022, we stand with the NHTSA to remind all drivers to stay safe and avoid drunk driving. If you’d like to learn more about the risks of drunk driving, click here.