Have a Happy (and Safe) July 4th
As part of its Impaired Driving Prevention Campaign, which lasts from June 10 – July 6, 2012, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has again announced statistics regarding the number of accidents that occur each year as the United States celebrates its independence:
10,228 people were killed by impaired-driving crashes in 2010, a total that represents 31% of all traffic-related deaths in this country. On average, an alcohol-impaired driving fatality occurs every 51 minutes. In 2010, 392 people died over the Fourth of July holiday period (6:00 p.m. on July 2 – 5:59 a.m. on July 6). 39% of the crashes in 2010 involved at least one driver or motorcycle driver with a blood alcohol concentration of at least .08. 46% of the fatalities were between the ages of 18 and 34 In 2010, more than 80% of the alcohol-impaired fatalities occurred between 6 p.m. and 5:59 a.m. during the July 4th holiday
NHTSA provided these safety tips:
Plan a safe way home before the fun begins Before drinking, designate a sober driver If you’re impaired, use a taxi, call a sober friend or family member, or use public transportation so you are sure to get home safely Use your community’s sober ride program If you happen to see a drunk driver on the road, don’t hesitate to contact the police “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over.” If you know someone who is about to drive or ride while impaired, take their keys and help them make other arrangements to get to where they are going safely. Remember, whether you’ve had way too many or just one too many it’s never worth the risk to drive impaired. If law enforcement pulls you over for drunk driving, you will be arrested.
More information on the “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” enforcement crackdown can be found on www.nhtsa.gov/drivesober.
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