With New Year’s Eve looming and travelers continuing to hit the road to visit family and friends for the remainder of the holiday season, U.S. DOT has kicked off a new ad campaign to discourage drunk driving. The campaign, called Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over, has begun running on TV, digital outlets, and prior to movie showings of Star Wars: The Force Awakens.“We hope the millions of Americans who will be on the road over the holidays will make the safe choice not to drink and drive,” said Anthony Foxx, U.S. Transportation Secretary. As is typical this time of year, law enforcement officers across the country are out in force: policing the roads to protect innocent drivers from the perils of alcohol-impaired decisions.
The Christmas and New Year holidays remain one of the most dangerous times on the road, with the 36/day drunk driving fatalities increasing to 45 or more per day during the holiday season. According to AAA estimates, almost 28,000 Americans will be severely injured and 250 will die during accidents occurring during this time period.
Before you get into a car during the holidays, be sure that the driver is sober and in control. If you question their ability to drive safely, remember:
• Don’t fall for the “cup of coffee” myth. You cannot sober someone up by giving them a few cups of coffee. Though caffeine is a stimulant, research shows that it takes roughly one hour per drink to detox from excessive alcohol consumption.
• Take action and take their keys. Call them a cab and pay for it yourself, or have another responsible designated driver take them home.
• Request that they spend the night at your home or a loved one’s home. Have them return for their car the next day—after sobering up.
“In the time it takes to watch a two-hour movie, two or more lives will be lost in drunk-driving related crashes,” said National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Administrator, Mark Rosekind. “Drunk driving doesn’t just happen. It’s a decision people make.”
The new U.S. DOT ads, “Man in the Mirror” and “Woman in the Mirror,” portray a young man and woman looking in the mirror after a night of drinking. Their reflections argue with them, attempting to convince them that they are capable of driving. Both ads are designed to show viewers that people cannot trust themselves—or their judgment—when they have been drinking.
