2022 Holiday Season: Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving

As the Holidays Near, Make a Plan If You Are Spending an Evening on the Town
Remember: Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving

The weeks leading up to the holiday season are a busy time on America’s roads. To keep drivers and their passengers safe, the Independence County Sheriff’s Department is teaming up with the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to remind drivers about the dangers of drinking and driving.

Help NHTSA and Independence County Sheriff’s Department share this message: Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving.

“December is a busy time on the roads. We know everyone is rushing around during the weeks leading up to the holidays, preparing for holiday gatherings and getting into the seasonal mood,” said Sheriff Shawn Stephens. “If you plan to head out to festivities, make sure you plan a sober ride home, because driving drunk should never be an option. Even one drink is one drink too many if you’re the driver.”

“‘Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving,'” said Stephens.

According to NHTSA, 11,654 people were killed in motor vehicle crashes in 2020 that involved an alcohol-impaired driver. On average, more than 10,000 people were killed each year from 2016 to 2020, and one person was killed in a drunk-driving crash every 45 minutes in 2020. This is why Independence County Sheriff’s Department is working together with NHTSA to remind drivers that drunk driving is a matter of life and death.

Remember: Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving.

If you plan on drinking, plan on not driving. Doing so could change your life, not to mention the lives of your passengers, of pedestrians, or of other drivers and passengers nearby. If you’re the designated driver, make sure you keep that promise of safety to yourself and your passengers. Stay hydrated with water and other non-alcoholic beverages. Support other designated drivers, too. It can be a long night, but people are counting on you, not to mention the other drivers, passengers, and pedestrians on the streets. Take the role of designated driver seriously — people are relying on you.

Sheriff Shawn Stephens recommends these safe alternatives to drinking and driving:

Remember that it is never okay to drink and drive. Even if you’ve had only one alcoholic beverage, designate a sober driver or plan to use a ride service, or call a taxi or a sober friend to get home safely.
If you see a drunk driver on the road, contact Independence County Sheriff’s Department at (870) 793-8838.
Do you have a friend who is about to drink and drive? Take the keys away and make arrangements to get your friend home safely.

For more information about the Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving campaign, visit www.nhtsa.gov/risky-driving/drunk-driving.

2022 Holiday Season Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is also teaming up with the law enforcement community nationwide during the 2022 holiday season Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over high-visibility enforcement impaired driving campaign, which runs through January 1, 2023.

NHTSA and the Independence County Sheriff’s Department are working tirelessly to spread the word about the dangers of drunk driving and to remind all drivers: If you plan to drink alcohol, plan ahead for a sober ride home.

Drunk Driving: The Sobering Statistics

Between December 2016-2020, there were more than 4,400 people killed in drunk-driving-related crashes.
Male drunk drivers were involved in fatal crashes at a much higher rate (660) in December 2020 compared to female drivers (191).
Male drivers were three times more likely (3,229) to be involved in an alcohol-related fatal motor vehicle traffic crash than females (1,106) in December 2020.
Young people ages 21-34 accounted for the highest percentage (26%) of alcohol-impaired fatalities in December 2020.
Nighttime driving in December 2020 was significantly more dangerous than daytime driving, with 30% of drunk-driving-related crashes occurring between the hours of 6 p.m. and 5:50 a.m. Almost half (44%) occur between the hours of midnight and 2:59 a.m., likely when bars are closing and people are driving home.
Approximately one-third of all traffic crash fatalities in the United States involve drunk drivers (with BACs at or above .08). In 2020, there were 11,654 people killed in drunk-driving crashes.
Nationally, it is illegal to drive with a BAC of .08 or higher, except in Utah, where the limit is .05 g/dL.
Although it’s illegal to drive when impaired by alcohol, in 2020 one person was killed every 45 minutes in a drunk-driving crash on our nation’s roads.
Men are more likely than women to be driving drunk when involved in fatal crashes. In 2020, 22% of males were drunk, compared to 16% of females.
The rate of alcohol impairment among drivers involved in fatal crashes in 2020 was 3.1 times higher at night than during the day.

The Cost of Drunk Driving

The average DUI costs $10,000 in attorney’s fees, fines, court costs, lost time at work, higher insurance rates, and more.
The financial impact from impaired-driving crashes is devastating. Based on 2010 numbers (the most recent year for which cost data is available), impaired-driving crashes cost the United States $44 billion annually.
If you’re caught drinking and driving, you can face jail time. That arrest will follow you for many years to come.
Drinking and driving can cause you to lose your driver’s license and your vehicle. This could prevent you from getting to work, resulting in lost wages and, potentially, job loss.

Plan for a Safe Celebration

Always remember to plan ahead when you will be celebrating with alcohol. If you plan to drink, make arrangements for a sober driver to take you home. Before you start celebrating this holiday season, look over these safety tips to keep you, your loved ones, and everyone else safe on the road.

Plan ahead: If you wait until you’ve been drinking to make a smart decision, you might not. Before you have one drink, designate a sober driver who won’t be drinking.
You have options: designate a sober driver, call a taxi, or use a rideshare service. Getting home safely is always worth it.
If it’s your turn to be the designated driver, take your job seriously and don’t drink.
If you see a drunk driver on the road, contact the Independence County Sheriff’s Department
Do you have a friend who is about to drink and drive? Take the keys away and let a sober driver get your friend home safely.
For more information about the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign, visit www.trafficsafetymarketing.gov/get-materials/drunk-driving/drive-sober-or-get-pulled-over/holiday-season.