As many prepare for New Year’s celebrations, AAA is reminding drivers and passengers alike of the dangers on the roads during the New Year’s holiday, with January 1 consistently ranking among the year’s deadliest days for alcohol-related traffic fatalities.
“With many people celebrating the New Year, there’s an increased incidence of people getting behind the wheel after a night of drinking. January 1 is a particularly dangerous day on the roads. Even one death from a drunk driving crash is too many. These crashes are completely preventable,” said Lori Weaver Hawkins, public affairs manager, AAA Blue Grass.
Pedestrians should stay sober as well, added Weaver Hawkins. Walking while impaired can cause a number of dangerous situations for pedestrians, such as inadvertently wandering into lanes of traffic, crossing improperly in areas other than crosswalks and not paying attention to approaching vehicles, among others.
Recent NHTSA data shows December drunk driving deaths are the highest in almost 15 years. There were 1,013 lives lost in drunk driving crashes in December 2021. Between 2017 and 2021, there were 4,561 people killed in December due to drunk driving crashes.
In its annual Traffic Safety Culture Index the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety noted drivers overwhelmingly (94%) perceived driving after drinking alcohol as very or extremely dangerous and 68% believed drivers who had consumed alcohol would be apprehended by police. However, 7% of respondents reported they had engaged in this behavior in the past 30 days.
Sobering drunk driving facts
• In 2021, 13,384 people were killed in preventable, drunk-driving crashes, a 14% increase from 2020. In fact, on average, more than 10,000 people die each year from drunk-driving crashes. To put it in perspective, that’s equal to about 20 jumbo jets crashing each year, with no survivors. (NHTSA)
• During the Christmas and New Year’s holiday periods in 2021, there were 304 drunk driving-related fatalities nationally. (NHTSA)
• In Kentucky, there were 3,594 crashes throughout 2022 due to alcohol involvement, resulting in 111 deaths, with 30 of those crashes occurring between December 31, 2022, and January 1, 2023, according to Kentucky State Police data. As of December 28, 2023, there had already been 3,648 crashes due to alcohol involvement resulting in 116 deaths.
Responsible behavior
To strengthen efforts to protect the public against drunk drivers and reduce alcohol-related traffic deaths, AAA is offering important safety advice to New Year’s Eve partygoers:
• Plan ahead before celebrating to ensure you have either a designated driver or a scheduled rideshare.
• Never get behind the wheel of a car when you’ve been drinking alcohol, even after just one drink.
• Never ride as a passenger in a car driven by someone who has been drinking any alcohol.
• Do not hesitate to take the keys from friends or family members who may be impaired. Having them angry at you for a short time is nothing compared to losing them for a lifetime.
• Be a responsible host by offering alcohol-free beverages and ensuring no one gets behind the wheel after consuming alcohol.
• If you encounter an impaired driver on the road, keep a safe distance and ask a passenger to call 911 or pull over to a safe location to make the call yourself.
• Remember: prescription, over-the-counter medications and illegal drugs can also impair your ability to drive safely.
AAA Blue Grass
