In the wake of President Barak Obama’s Nov. 28 proclamation and on eve of another New Year’s celebration, officials with the Power of Prevention and Drug Free Communities/Aroostook Substance Abuse Prevention programs are helping to get the word out to community members that December is National Impaired Driving Prevention Month.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Department of Transportation, as reported on the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website, every day, almost 30 people in the United States die in motor vehicle crashes that involve an alcohol-impaired driver, which is the equivalent of one death every 51 minutes; and the annual cost of alcohol-related crashes totals more than $59 billion.
With these staggering statistics, it may seem strange to most that anyone would ever make the choice to drive impaired, but by examining these numbers, it is clear that far too many people are endangering their own lives as well as the lives of others by making the choice to drink and drive. During this holiday season, when party-goers are likely to be on the road after a night of celebrating, there is one local business doing what they can to lower these statistics on New Year’s Eve — a day in which the number of people drinking and driving is surely to spike — and do their part in making the roads a safer place even if only for a night.
According to Mark Shea, project coordinator for Aroostook Substance Abuse Prevention, due to the holidays, it’s a time of the year when the problem becomes even more prevalent.
“Drunk driving is an issue year-round. The holiday season is a time when this issue comes to the forefront, as many people attend holiday parties with friends and family and many of those parties involve drinking. That makes this a crucial time to encourage folks to refrain from getting behind the wheel when they have had too much to drink.”
Aroostook Substance Abuse Prevention strives to create more awareness for this issue.
“We have primarily used our Facebook page this month to spread the word about the dangers of drunk driving. Although they are not exclusive to our efforts this month,” Shea added. “We also have banners at local high schools that target area youth with a positive message against alcohol use, which ties in to the overall drunk driving theme. The banners read, ‘The majority of Aroostook teens do not use alcohol. Join the crowd!’”
With this holiday season being such a dangerous time for drunk driving accidents, Shea gave some helpful hints on how these accidents can be avoided.
“I think it’s important to remember the adage, ‘all things in moderation.’ Is it okay to party and have a good time? Sure it is, but don’t take it too far,” said Shea. “A good rule of thumb is to use the ‘Three P’s: plan, prepare and pace.’ Plan where you are going, who you are going with and how you are getting home; use a designated driver. Prepare for the party by eating, drinking plenty of water, and making sure you take just enough money to have a good time; leave the credit cards at home so you don’t spend or drink too much. Pace yourself by limiting how much you drink in a night. Pacing yourself can help avoid getting sick, passing out and enduring a hangover the next day.”
Shea explained that unfortunately, there are many reasons why people drink and then get behind the wheel.
“Many think that they will not get caught, or that is not a significant risk to drink and drive. The bottom line is, there is no good reason to get behind the wheel of a car while intoxicated.”
