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Driving Drunk or High Puts Everyone in Danger

Of Traffic Fatalities Involving Children, 1 in 5 Involved a Drunk Driver

Labor Day marks the unofficial end of summer, but it’s also one of the deadliest times on the road. During the 2021 Labor Day holiday weekend, 531 people died in traffic crashes — 41% of those fatalities occurred in crashes involving a drunk driver. 

Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over

Although drunk-driving-related deaths have decreased over the past three decades, they still claim more than 10,000 lives per year. Drunk-driving statistics are essential to understanding the work we still have to do to stop these preventable deaths. 

In 2021:

  • 13,384 people died in alcohol-impaired crashes — this is 31% of all traffic fatalities. 
  • 294 children 14 years old and younger were killed in a drunk-driving crash — that’s about one in every five children who die in a traffic crash.

If You Feel Different, You Drive Different – Drive High, Get a DUI

Drug-impaired driving is also an increasing problem on our nation’s roadways. If drivers are impaired by any substance, including prescription or over-the-counter medications, they should not get behind the wheel of a vehicle.

RESOURCE

Here are some tips to stay safe:

  • If you are planning to drink, plan ahead for a sober ride home. It’s not okay to drink and drive, even if you’ve had only one alcoholic beverage. 
  • If you are using any impairing drugs, including marijuana, don’t drive, arrange for a safe ride home. Impaired driving is illegal, regardless of the source of impairment.
  • If you see an impaired driver on the road, safely pull over and call 911.
  • Have a friend who is about to drink and drive? Take the keys away and make arrangements to get your friend home safely.

Let’s work together to make this Labor Day holiday safe and fun for everyone. Remember, 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.