Sober driving safest way to get home – ‘Buzzed driving is drunk driving’
FRANKFORT, Ky. — This Halloween, don’t be tricked into thinking you are “OK to drive” if you celebrate with alcohol. The Kentucky Office of Highway Safety (KOHS) reminds all partygoers: Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving. If you feel “buzzed,” you should not be behind the wheel.
“The risks are not worth it, and the consequences are too serious,” KOHS Executive Director Bill Bell said. “A sober and safe ride after the party is the best treat you can give yourself and everyone else on the road this Halloween.”
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), in 2011, when Halloween fell on a Monday, 44 percent of the nation’s fatalities during the Halloween weekend occurred in a crash involving a driver or a motorcycle operator with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08 or higher. Thirty-eight percent of fatalities on Halloween night occurred in a crash involving a driver or a motorcycle operator with a BAC of 0.08 or higher.
Young men are particularly at risk of being involved in a traffic crash as a result of “buzzed” or drunk driving. Males ages 21-34 comprised almost half of all drunk drivers who were killed in motor vehicle traffic crashes nationwide during the 2011 Halloween period.
KOHS recommends these simple tips for a safe Halloween:
· Before the Halloween festivities begin, plan a way to safely get home at the end of the night.
· Always designate a sober driver.
· If you are impaired, take a taxi, call a sober friend or family member, or use public transportation.
· Walking while impaired can be just as dangerous as drunk driving. Designate a sober friend to walk you home.
· If you see a drunk driver on the road, contact local law enforcement.
· If you know someone who is about to drive or ride while impaired, take their keys and help them make safe travel arrangements.