HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. -- In the United States during 2022, a staggering 13,524 people were killed in drunk-driving crashes. Accordingly, the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is teaming up with the law enforcement community nationwide during the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over high-visibility enforcement campaign. NHTSA and law enforcement are working to spread the word about the dangers of drunk driving, and to remind all drivers: If you plan to drink alcohol, plan ahead for a sober ride home.
During the holiday season, Americans celebrate with friends, family and neighbors. For many people, this ‘holiday cheer’ involves consuming alcohol at parties and other social events. Therefore, if you choose to consume alcohol, it’s essential that you drink responsibly.
To further promote responsible use of alcohol, the National Institutes of Health recommends low-risk drinking. Low-risk drinking in men is consuming no more than four drinks in a day and no more than 14 drinks in a week; and, women consuming no more than three drinks in a day and no more than seven drinks in a week.
A standard drink contains about one-half ounce of pure alcohol. Generally, this amount of pure alcohol is found in 12 ounces of regular beer, 8 ounces of malt liquor, 5 ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof liquor.
Alcohol and drugs, both illicit and prescribed, can impair judgment, reaction time, vision, motor skills, and memory; consequently, degrading an individual’s ability to drive safely.
Consider the following facts, which are provided by the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration:
• In fatal crashes in 2022, the highest percentages of alcohol-impaired drivers (i.e., with Blood Alcohol Concentrations (BAC) of 0.08 or higher) were for 21 to 24-year-old drivers (29%), followed by 25 to 34-year-old drivers (28%), and 35 to 44-year-old drivers (24%). Men are most likely to be involved in this type of crash, with almost four male alcohol-impaired drivers involved for each female alcohol-impaired driver involved.
• In 2022, the percentage of alcohol-impaired drivers involved in fatal crashes by vehicle type were highest for motorcycle operators (28%) compared to drivers of passenger cars (25%); light-trucks (i.e., pickups, SUVs, and vans) (21%); and large trucks (3%).
• Thirty-two percent of all motor vehicle traffic fatalities involved alcohol-impaired drivers with BACs at, or above, 0.08.
• In 2022, among the 13,524 alcohol-impaired-driving fatalities, 67% (9,047) were in traffic crashes in which at least one driver had a BAC of 0.15 or higher.
• The rate of alcohol impairment among drivers involved in fatal traffic crashes in 2022 was nearly three times higher at night than during the day.
• On average, a DUI can cost $10,000 in attorney’s fees, fines, court costs, lost time at work, higher insurance rates, car towing, and more.
Therefore, following these steps, a driver can enjoy a safe and festive holiday season without jeopardizing their life and the lives of others who may be on the road:
• Plan a safe way home before the party begins.
• Before drinking, designate a sober driver and give that person your keys. If you are the designated driver, take this role seriously and do not consume alcohol — not even one drink.
• If impaired, use a ride/taxi service, call a sober friend or family member, or use public transportation to get home safely.
• If you happen to see an impaired driver on the road, contact local law enforcement.
• Remember, if you know someone who is about to drive while impaired or ride with an impaired driver, take their keys and help them make other arrangements.
The holidays should be a time for celebrations with friends and family, not tragedy. Help make roadways safe by never driving after drinking.
To better educate the American people regarding the vital importance of responsible use of alcohol, the NIH Rethinking Drinking initiative offers numerous online interactive tools and resources (i.e., BAC calculator; drink-size calculator; cocktail-content calculator; alcohol-spending calculator; alcohol-calorie calculator; drinking-tracker & drinking-analyzer cards; etc), which are accessible via the following website:
https://www.rethinkingdrinking.niaaa.nih.gov/tools/calculators/Default.aspx
For more information, contact the Hurlburt Field Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention and Treatment (ADAPT) Program at (850) 881-4237. The ADAPT Program provides a wide range of prevention education, outreach, evaluation, counseling and treatment services to active duty military members.
The ADAPT Program is located at 130 LeTourneau Circle, building 90311 (i.e., positioned directly behind the Hurlburt Youth Center). Its hours of operation are Monday-Friday, 7:30 a.m.- 4:30 p.m.
Family members of active duty personnel should contact TriCare-Humana East at (800) 444-5445 or www.humanamilitary.com for information and assistance in obtaining substance use evaluation, counseling and treatment services.