Celebrating our nation’s birthday should be a fun and festive event that brings together friends and family to enjoy cookouts, fireworks and time by the pool… but all too often it turns tragic. The Fourth of July holiday is one of the deadliest holidays of the year because of drunk driving crashes.
In 2010, 392 people were killed on our nation’s roadways during the Fourth of July holiday, 39 percent of which involved at least one driver with a BAC of .08 or higher. There is an even higher number of fatalities among young drivers—during the 2010 Fourth of July holiday period, 50 percent of young drivers (18 to 34 years old) killed in motor vehicle traffic crashes had a BAC of .08 or higher.
While these fatalities are devastating, they are 100% preventable. Planning ahead does not mean you can’t still have fun, it means taking responsibility and making a decision to keep you, your loved ones and everyone else on the road safe. Decide how you will get home BEFORE drinking alcohol this Fourth of July, and encourage everyone around you to do the same. And remember, even if you make the choice to drive safe and sober, others may not. So drive with caution and always wear your seatbelt.
What are your plans to get home safely this Fourth of July holiday?
Submitted by Virginia at 09:16 AM on July 3, 2012