Don’t Start the Celebration Without Planning Ahead.
Remember Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving.
• The Fourth of July is a celebration that brings friends and family together to enjoy all the delights of summer, including cookouts, fireworks, and time by the pool. So most Americans don’t realize it’s one of the deadliest holidays of the year due to alcohol-impaired driving crashes.
• That’s why this Fourth of July; [LOCAL LEADER] is reminding everyone that Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving.
• Impaired driving crashes killed 10,228 people in 2010, accounting for 31 percent of all traffic-related deaths in the United States. That’s an average of one alcohol impaired driving fatality nearly every 51 minutes.
• The Fourth of July holiday period (6:00pm July 2- 5:59am July 6) is particularly deadly. During the 2010 holiday, 392 people were killed in motor vehicle traffic crashes.
• Of those fatalities, 39 percent were in crashes that involved at least one driver or motorcycle operator with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 or higher.
• [INSERT LOCAL STATS]
• Across the country, impaired driving fatalities spike during nighttime. In fact during the July 4th holiday in 2010 (6:00pm July 2 – 5:59am July 6), more than 80 percent of alcohol-impaired driving fatalities took place at nighttime between the hours of 6:00 p.m. and 5:59 a.m. The proportion of alcohol impairment among drivers involved in fatal crashes in 2010 was almost five times higher at night (6pm to 5:59am) than during the day (6am to 5:59pm) for the Fourth of July holiday period (6:00pm July 2 – 5:59am July 6).
• Young (18 to 34 year old) people still don’t get the message that drinking and driving kills. During the 2010 Fourth of July holiday period (6:00pm July 2 – 5:59am July 6), 50 percent of young drivers killed in motor vehicle traffic crashes were alcohol impaired (BAC of .08 or higher.)
• Death is not the only consequence from impaired driving. Violators often face jail time, loss of their driver’s license and it could cost up to $10,000 in legal fees, fines, and higher insurance rates.
Plan Ahead to Save Lives.
• Here are a few simple tips for a safe Fourth of July:
• Plan a safe way home before the festivities begin;
• Before drinking, designate a sober driver;
• If you’re impaired, use a taxi, call a sober friend or family member, or use public transportation so you are sure to get home safely;
• Use your community’s sober ride program [insert your local sober ride program specifics here];
• If you happen to see a drunk driver on the road, don’t hesitate to contact your local law enforcement;
• And remember, Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving. If you know someone who is about to drive or ride while impaired, take their keys and help them make other arrangements to get to where they are going safely.
• Remember, whether you’ve had way too many or just one too many, it’s never worth the risk to drive impaired. Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving.
• Planning ahead can mean the difference between life and death.
• More information can be found at www.nhtsa.gov/impaired.