The holidays are a time for family, friends, and co-workers to come together in celebration. Wherever you are—whether at an office party, a family member’s home, or out at the bar—it is essential that you make the lifesaving choice to drive sober when the party ends.
To get drunk drivers off the roads and help save lives, the Hawai‘i Department of Transportation (HDOT) is teaming up with all four county police departments and partnering with the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The national high-visibility enforcement campaign, Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over, runs from Dec. 13 to 31, 2018. During this period, local law enforcement will show zero tolerance for drunk driving, as well as drugged driving, which is on the rise. Increased State and national messages about the dangers of driving impaired, coupled with enforcement and increased officers on the road, aim to drastically reduce drunk driving on our roadways.
National Facts & Statistics:
Almost 30% of all traffic crash fatalities in the United States involve drunk drivers (with blood alcohol concentrations [BACs] of .08 or higher). In 2017, 10,874 people were killed in these preventable crashes. In fact, on average, more than 10,000 people died each year from 2013 to 2017 in drunk-driving crashes. To put it in perspective, that’s equal to about 20 jumbo jets crashing each year, with no survivors.
It is illegal to drive with a BAC of .08 or higher in all 50 States and the District of Columbia—no exceptions.
Drug-impaired driving is an increasing problem on our nation’s roads. It is illegal to drive while drug-impaired, period. It’s essential for drivers to understand: If You Feel Different, You Drive Different. Drive High, Get a DUI. Driving while impaired by any substance is deadly and illegal.
In 2017, almost one in five children (14 and younger) killed in traffic crashes were killed in drunk-driving crashes. Fifty-four percent of the time, it was the child’s own driver who was drunk.
Despite the fact that it’s illegal to drive with a BAC of .08 or higher, in 2017 one person was killed every 48 minute in a drunk driving crash on our nation’s roads.
Men are more likely than women to be involved in fatal drunk-driving crashes. In 2017, 21% of males were drunk in these crashes, compared to 14% of females.
In 2017, motorcycle riders involved in fatal crashes had higher percentages of alcohol impairment than any other type of motor vehicle driver (27% for motorcycle riders, 21% for passenger car drivers, 20% for light-truck drivers, and 3% for drivers of large trucks).
According to NHTSA, 885 people lost their lives in traffic crashes involving a drunk driver during the month of December 2017.
Plan Before You Party:
Plan a safe way home before the fun begins.
Designate a sober driver or use public transportation to get home safely.
Download the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) SaferRide app, available for Android and Apple. The app can help users call a taxi or a friend for a ride home, and help you identify your location so you can be picked up.
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Important Things to Remember:
If you know someone who is about to drive or ride after drinking, be strong—take the keys and make arrangements to help them get safely to their destination.
While you’re out celebrating our country’s freedom, you could lose your own if you choose to drink and drive. Not only would you be risking your life and the lives of others—you could face a DUI arrest. The average DUI costs $10,000, making it difficult to recover financially.
And the cost doesn’t end there. Arrested drunk drivers face jail time, the loss of their driver licenses, higher insurance rates, and dozens of other hefty expenses, from car towing and repairs to attorney fees, fines, court costs, lost time at work, and more.
Don’t put yourself, your passengers and others at risk this holiday season by driving after drinking. Drunk driving is never worth the risk. Hand the keys to a sober driver or face the consequences. Remember: Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over.
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To get drunk drivers off the roads and help save lives, the Hawai‘i Department of Transportation (HDOT) is teaming up with all four county police departments and partnering with the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The national high-visibility enforcement campaign, Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over, runs from Dec. 13 to 31, 2018. During this period, local law enforcement will show zero tolerance for drunk driving, as well as drugged driving, which is on the rise. Increased State and national messages about the dangers of driving impaired, coupled with enforcement and increased officers on the road, aim to drastically reduce drunk driving on our roadways.
