Share Your Commitment to Stay Safe and Sober
Tuesday, August 28, 2018
Summertime in New York is a favorite time of year for hiking in parks, relaxing at the beach, and family vacations. Not only do the roads become more crowded with New York residents heading to their summer celebration destinations, but New York State is also a “must see” for many tourists.
While roadways inevitably become more congested with more traffic, they can also become more dangerous due to the increased risk of drunk or drugged drivers behind the wheel.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) FARS database (2011 to 2016), there were 742 fatal crashes involving a driver impaired by alcohol and 128 fatal accidents involving a driver impaired by prescription or illicit drugs; in some accidents, the impaired driver has both alcohol and drugs in their system. (See the linked heat map for a visual - Each red dot on the map represents an alcohol-related fatal accident in New York)
While it’s not uncommon to raise a glass to toast a newly wedded couple or to enjoy a cold beer on the beach, it’s never a good idea to get behind the wheel of your vehicle after you’ve had a few drinks. Not only are you putting your life at risk but you’re threatening the lives of every other motorist and passenger on the road you share.
Did You Know?
Everybody knows that drinking and driving is never a good idea and that it claims lives every year, but did you know that:
- Men are 5 times more likely to be in a fatal alcohol-related accident than women
- Men between the ages of 21 and 49 are involved in the most alcohol-related crashes
- Saturdays between 2 and 5 am are the deadliest times on the road
- Suffolk County has the most fatal crashes involving alcohol
Even if you aren’t a “statistic” or driving on the road during the most dangerous times, there’s always the risk of being involved in an alcohol-related accident. Want to keep you and your family safer? Never drink and drive, avoid driving when taking medications that make you drowsy, and avoid the most dangerous times of the day.
As you learn more about how to positively contribute to assisting in keeping our roads safer this summer, be sure to share the information found in the knowledge initiative being described and sign a pledge.
Don’t forget to encourage your friends and family to support #StaySoberNY
