From August 16 through September 4, 2017, the United States Department of Transportation is urging everyone across the country to come together to prevent drunk driving accidents during the Impaired Driving National Enforcement Crackdown period.
According to the Department of Transportation:
- Drunk driving is one of the deadliest and most common crimes in this country.
- Drunk driving has become a “serious epidemic” in our country.
- In 2015, 10,265 people died in the United States because of drunk drivers. This was an increase of 3.2 percent over 2014 drunk-driving fatalities.
- Drunk driving accidents and deaths are preventable.
The Department of Transportation is encouraging law enforcement professionals and highway safety advocates to take certain steps during the 2017 Impaired Driving National Enforcement Crackdown.
Here’s How You Can Help
While it is important for police officers, politicians, and others to help prevent drunk driving car accidents, it is also important for each individual driver to do the same. You can help prevent tragic drunk-driving accidents by:
- Being a designated driver. Take control of the situation by offering to be a designated driver and abstaining from alcohol completely while you are out.
- Submitting an editorial to your local paper. Share your opinion about drunk driving with your neighbors and encourage them to help prevent injuries and deaths.
- Sharing reminders, statistics, or inspirational stories on your social media accounts. Make them as personal and attention grabbing as you can so that your friends and followers get the message.
- Installing SaferRide on your cell phone and encouraging your loved ones to do the same. This app was developed by the U.S. Department of Transportation and allows you to touch one button to call a taxi in your area, to call a pre-programmed contact person, or to locate where you are on a map.
- Telling your friends and family members (including your kids) that they can contact you without fear. Let your loved ones know that you will not lecture, punish, or judge them if they find themselves drunk and unable to drive safely or if the person they were counting on to drive them home has been drinking.
Additionally, you can help spread the word about 2017 Impaired Driving National Enforcement Crackdown by sharing this article with others. Let’s help everyone develop a plan to get home safely and to avoid drunk driving accidents over the Labor Day holiday weekend and throughout the year.
If you've been injured in a car accident this holiday weekend, contact us online or call us directly at 800.800.5678 to schedule a free consultation.