For many people, Labor Day Weekend means a chance to get back out on the road. It’s also a time of increased drunk driving incidents and traffic deaths. That’s why the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration has launched its “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” virtual campaign to prevent drunk driving.
About 44% of traffic deaths during Labor Day weekend from 2014–2018 involved cases of drunk driving. The NHTSA’s driving data also showed that 29% of traffic deaths in 2018 involved a driver with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of at least .08%, which is the legal BAC limit in most states.
Drunk driving prevention relies on both your refusal to engage in it and your help in preventing others from driving while intoxicated. The NHTSA provides the following tips to prevent drunk driving and related collisions and deaths.
1. If you plan to drink alcohol, plan for a safe, sober ride home. You can have a designated driver, provided that the driver doesn’t also drink. Otherwise, take public transportation or use a rideshare service.
2. If someone has been drinking, do not let that person drive. You could save that person’s life.
3. If you’re hosting a party, make sure all attendees have a safe, sober ride home.
4. While in a moving vehicle, wear your seatbelt. This will keep you safe in the event of a collision, especially one possibly caused by a drunk driver.
5. If you see someone you suspect to be driving while drunk, call 911.
Source: KLKNTV.com