Thursday, December 31st 2015, 10:59 am
Perhaps more so than any other night of the year, New Year's Eve can quickly turn from a night of fun champagne sipping into a dangerous situation after having one (or a few) too many -- especially if any driving is involved.
Every day, almost 30 people in the United States die in motor vehicle crashes involving an alcohol-impaired driver, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And this time of year is especially high risk.
Data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration show a spike indrunk-driving crashes each December. In the single month of December 2013, 733 people lost their lives in crashes involving a drunk driver, NHTSA reports.
If you're heading to a party this New Year's Eve -- or hosting your own holiday shindig -- plan ahead to make sure you and your guests, as well as everyone else on the road, gets home safely.
Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) offers the following tips:
If safety -- and the law -- aren't enough of a motivation, NHTSA notes that the average cost of a DUI is $10,000 -- much more expensive than cab fare. The organization offers the SaferRide mobile app, available for iPhone and Android, which allows users to call a taxi or a friend by identifying their location so they can be picked up.
December 31st, 2015
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