RICHLAND COUNTY, Ohio – The Fourth of July is a favorite American holiday filled with fun, food, fireworks, friends and family. But celebrating can quickly turn to tragedy when people choose to drive after drinking. The Richland County Safe Communities Coalition is urging everyone to plan ahead this Independence Day. Designate a sober driver ahead of time.
“The Fourth of July festivities can be so much fun,” said Reed Richmond, health educator at Richland Public Health and a Safe Communities spokesperson. “People make plans for the partying, but too many drivers don’t plan ahead to get home safely.”
In all 50 States and the District of Columbia, it is illegal to drive with a blood alcohol concentration of .08 grams per deciliter or higher.
“We’ve seen that too many drivers around Richland County think that it’s OK to drive ‘buzzed.’ The truth is you don’t have to be ‘completely wasted’ to get arrested for drunk driving. Remember: Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving,” said Richmond.
This year, the Fourth comes on a Saturday, so Friday, July 3, is the Federal holiday and observance. That means the Fourth of July weekend starts at 6 p.m. Thursday and extends to 5:59 a.m. Monday morning, July 6.
Statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration paint a grim picture of the effect drunk driving has on America. NHTSA reports there were 10,076 fatalities involving drunk driving in 2013, accounting for 31 percent of the total motor vehicle traffic deaths for that year. That equals about one alcohol-impaired-driving death every 52 minutes.
In 2013, Forbes magazine named the Independence Day holiday “the most dangerous holiday of the year.”
Drunk-driving fatalities are high year-round, but they typically spike during holidays like the Fourth of July. During the Independence Day holiday in 2013 (6 p.m. July 3 to 5:59 p.m. July 8), 512 people were killed in motor vehicle crashes, and of these, 199 died in crashes involving at least one driver or motorcycle operator with a BAC of .08 or higher. Unfortunately 2013 wasn’t a fluke; from 2009 to 2013, among all crash fatalities around the Fourth of July holiday period, 39 percent—on average—involved drunk drivers.
Certain drivers are more likely than others to drive drunk. Younger drivers 18 to 34 years old are consistently overrepresented in fatal alcohol-impaired-driving crashes. In 2013, almost half of the young drivers killed in crashes had BACs of .08 g/dL or higher.
Compared to car and truck drivers, motorcycle operators are also overrepresented in the disturbing statistics from NHTSA: In 2013 fatal crashes, 27 percent of motorcycle operators were impaired.
Nighttime (6 p.m. to 5:59 a.m.) driving is particularly dangerous because of drunk drivers—and the July Fourth holiday is no exception. During the July Fourth holiday period in 2013, the rate of alcohol impairment among drivers involved in fatal crashes was over three times higher at night than during the day.
“Here’s what we want people to understand,” said Richmond. “Alcohol not only impairs your ability to drive, it impairs your judgment about whether you can or should drive. Sure, you may think you’re ‘fine’, but you’re not. The best thing to keep in mind is simply: Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving.” Prevent drunk driving by only driving completely sober.
Follow these simple tips for a safe Fourth of July:
Plan a safe way home before the fun begins.
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.
If you see a drunk driver on the road, don’t hesitate to contact your local law enforcement. Calls are routed to dispatch.
Remember, Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving. If you know people who are about to drive or ride while impaired, take their keys and help them make other arrangements to get to where they are going safely.
If you are hosting a Fourth of July Party where alcohol is served:
Take the keys of guests who are drinking alcoholic beverage.
Make sure everyone leaving the party has a designated drive.
Make arrangements for guests to sleep at your location if unable to drive
More information on avoiding impaired driving can be found at www.trafficsafetymarketing.gov.
