Less than a week to go until Christmas and the holiday season in is full force. But the extra good cheer also tends to bring a spike in car accidents related to drinking and driving. This season, let’s hope the success of BC’s new drinking and driving laws will carry through into the New Year.
In the US, the White House has designated December as National Impaired Driving Prevention Month, a time to raise awareness about the consequences of driving while impaired by drugs or alcohol.
MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) gives us some holiday advice for ensuring everyone’s safety on the roads:
- Designate a sober driver before celebrations begin.
- Plan safe parties by providing non-alcoholic drink options to guests and not serving alcohol the last hour of the gathering.
- If you’ve been drinking, use a taxi, call a sober friend or family member, or use public transportation.
- Don’t hesitate to contact your local law enforcement if you see an impaired driver on the road.
- If you know someone about to drive or ride with a driver who is impaired, take the driver’s keys and help them make other arrangements to get to where they are going safely.
Operation Save Lives, a safety group in California, suggests that party hosts breathalyze their guests to stop those who blow over the legal limit from getting behind the wheel. And why not turn it into a game? Guess your blood alcohol level and win a prize – a cab ride home.
Accidents related to drinking and driving are 100% preventable. Be safe, don’t drink and drive, and get the most out of the holiday season.
