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Prevention Action Alliance
December is National Impaired Driving Prevention Month
December has been designated as National Impaired Driving Prevention
Month every year since 1981. Unfortunately, the holiday season between
Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day is one of the deadliest times to be on
roads because more drivers are impaired by alcohol or drug use.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2016,
10,497 people died in alcohol-impaired driving crashes, more than a
quarter of all traffic-related deaths in the U.S. Drugs other than
alcohol are involved in about 16 percent of motor vehicle crashes.
It’s important to note for many people that they’ll immediately assume
we’re talking about alcohol—but we’re also talking about marijuana,
stimulants, depressants, and other drugs. The National High Traffic
Safety Administration found that drug tests on fatally injured drivers
has increased from 25 percent in 2007 to 42 percent in 2016, and the
percentage of these drivers who tested positive for cannabinoids more
than doubled from 8 percent to 18 percent.
There is good news, however. Highway fatalities are down overall, and
the number of fatalities due to alcohol-impaired driving declined 3.6
percent in 2018 compared to 2017. Even that report, however,
underscored the need for prevention. Pedestrian and cyclist deaths both
increased. Both categories found that fatalities tended to occur after
dark and alcohol (in the pedestrian or cyclist’s system) was a common
factor.
We encourage you to get involved in this important month. Raise
awareness among your community, advocate for consistent and strong
enforcement of impaired driving laws, and empower parents and teens to
make healthy and smart choices around driving this holiday season.
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