There’s no better way to say it. Driving becomes more dangerous this time of year. As darker days are accompanied by the return of ice and snow, additional travel for the end-of-year holidays compounds the issue. And things only get worse when alcohol is added to this equation.
Some of the most dangerous days of the year on our roadways occur between Thanksgiving and New Year’s. This is why December is National Impaired Driving Prevention Month. Throughout the country, enforcement and education are ramping up to reduce the number of sad stories that tend to be magnified during the holiday season. Resources (like the infographic above) are available to help you spread these important messages.
Here’s what the data tells us about the impacts of impaired driving in Southeast Michigan:
- Alcohol-related crashes tend to be more serious than others, and they increase during the holidays.
- Alcohol is involved in only 3% of total crashes, but they account for 29% of traffic fatalities.
- Alcohol-involved fatalities and serious injuries have increased in the last three years.
- Alcohol-involved fatalities are at a 10-year high and accounted for 36% of all traffic fatalities in 2017.
- In 2017, impaired driving crashes (involving drugs and alcohol) accounted for only 3% of all traffic crashes but resulted in 167 fatalities, or 45% of all traffic fatalities.
By following a few safety tips, we can all do our part to keep each other safe this holiday season:
- Don’t drink and drive.
- Use designated drivers, transit, and ridesharing services.
- Be aware of potential drunk drivers; most fatalities occur at night.
- Celebrate and enjoy the holidays; just be responsible.
- Always wear your seat belts!
All of us at SEMCOG wish you a happy and safe holiday!
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