Drunk Driving Decreasing

It’s almost New Year’s Eve, the time of year that people get caught up with drinking to celebrate and welcome in a new year, then try to drive themselves home. This holiday is known for drinking, and authorities are working harder than ever this year to keep people from driving while intoxicated. “Safety is our focus year round at DOT. But this holiday season, we’re stepping up our efforts to get drunk drivers off our roads and reminding Americans ‘drive sober, or get pulled over,’” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “We’re making gains in our fight against drunk driving, but we cannot and will not let up.” (1)

Decrease in Fatalities

The statistics are looking favorable. In a number of states, incidences of drunk driving have decreased in the past year. In fact, records show that 32 states have seen a decrease in drunk driving fatalities in 2011. Michigan is one of those states. “It’s not one particular thing,” Lynn Sutfin of the state police Office of Highway Safety Planning said. “It’s a combination of things. Some of it is due to a decrease in overall crash fatalities, some of it is due to people making smarter decisions; vehicles have better safety features and the roadways have improved.” (2)

Residents in Maryland are also happy to see a decrease in drunk driving. “There’s been basically a key change in attitude,” said Ragina Averella, a spokeswoman for AAA of the Mid-Atlantic. “I don’t think the public is willing to tolerate drunk driving anymore. They don’t see it as a social issue; they see it as a crime.” (3)

Working to Save Lives

However, there is still work to be done, because people are still going out and driving after they’ve been drinking. One person dies every 40 minutes because of drunk driving; a total of 10,228 people were killed in alcohol-related crashes last year. (1)

Especially at this time of year, there are going to be people drinking and driving. “The number of drunken driving incidents always spikes around holidays like Christmas, New Year’s Eve and the Fourth of July,” Sutfin said. “There are more people on the road and people are celebrating.” (2)

Groups like Mothers Against Drunk Driving and local police and sheriff’s departments are cracking down this year on drunk drivers and working to educate more people. “Thanks to the hard work of law enforcement and safety advocates and the incredible commitment of organizations like Mothers Against Drunk Driving, we are making real progress in reducing drunk driving deaths,” said Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Administrator David Strickland. “Our message to drivers is clear: if you decide to drink, find a safe and sober ride home or you will be pulled over.” (1) Checkpoints, DUI task forces, and stiffer penalties are all tools being used by your local law enforcement to keep people safe this year.