The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration kicked off its annual national Labor Day “Drive … [+]
“One of the deadliest and most often committed – yet preventable – of crimes (impaired driving), has become a serious safety epidemic in our country.”
Every day, about 37 people in the United States die in drunk driving crashes — that’s one person every 39 minutes.
In 2021, 13,384 people were killed in alcohol impaired driving traffic crashes.
In 2021, drunk driving accounted for 31% of traffic crash fatalities.
Those are the highlights of recent data released from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) that revealed that impaired driving is on the rise.
Fatalities in alcohol impaired driving crashes increased slightly more than 14% from 2020 to 2021, compared to an increase of about 10% in overall traffic fatalities during the same period. And two-thirds of drunk driving crash fatalities in 2021 involved a driver with a blood alcohol concentration of .15 or more, nearly twice the legal limit of impairment.
“Impaired drivers put everyone, including themselves, at risk,” Ann Carlson, NHTSA’s acting administrator said at the Governors Highway Safety Association’s Annual Meeting in New York City, where the federal agency kicked off its annual national Labor Day “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” high-visibility enforcement campaign to combat alcohol and drug impaired driving.
“We’re asking everyone to arrange for a sober ride home. It’s a matter of life and death,” Carlson added.
The impaired driving prevention effort will be supported by a $13.8 million paid media campaign using a mix of television, radio, digital, social media and billboards to educate drivers about the dangers of alcohol and drug impaired driving, as well as heightening their awareness of increased enforcement.
Impaired driving is dangerous and prevalent year-round, but historically, summer months tend to be more dangerous on the road, according to federal data. The Labor Day period is particularly deadly.
As part of the campaign, law enforcement officers will be working with their communities from August 16 through September 4 to stop impaired driving. The initiative includes a number of public service messages: Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over; If You Feel Different, You Drive Different; Drive High, Get a DUI; and Ride Sober or Get Pulled Over.
The federal agency urges everyone to plan ahead and never drive after consuming alcohol, marijuana, or other drugs. “Instead, designate a sober driver or call a ride-hailing service or cab to make sure you get home safely,” it advised, noting that driving under the influence of alcohol or other drugs is illegal in all 50 states, as well as the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. “Even one drink can begin to impair your driving ability. If you see an impaired driver on the road, call 911.”
For the latest data on impaired driving, click here and here. For more information on impaired driving, click here.