Too many people die each holiday season due to drunk driving. The holidays should be a happy time full of family, friends, food, and traditions. Unfortunately for many people who choose to drive after drinking, the holidays are also full of DUI arrests, loss of life, and guilt that lasts a lifetime. Don’t let your holidays be anything less than happy. Whether you’re celebrating Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Christmas, Ōmisoka, New Year’s Eve, or any other special occasion, make sure to do so safely.
SOBER DRIVING
One way to avoid drunk driving is to avoid drinking alcohol completely. A DUI arrest can cost thousands of dollars including attorney fees, fines, court costs, and other expenses. The holidays are already expensive, so don't less this be another thing you have to pay for! By drinking non-alcoholic drinks at your holiday parties and family gatherings, you can worry about one less thing this holiday season. If can be difficult to figure out how much alcohol puts you at or above the legal limit. Factors such as medication, gender, weight, body type, pattern of drinking, genetics, and other things can affect your ability to pass an alcohol test. So if you’re wondering how many drinks you can have and legally drive, the best and safest answer is zero.
PLAN AHEAD TO STAY SAFE
Another way to avoid drunk driving is to have a plan BEFORE you start drinking. Your safe driving plan may include public transportation, a designated driver, a ridesharing service, or NHTSA’s SaferRide app to call a taxi or a friend to pick you up.
KNOW THE DANGERS OF DRIVING DRUNK
If you do drink a small amount of alcohol and plan to drive only after sobering up, make sure you understand the effects of alcohol on your body. Even a small amount of alcohol can still impact your driving. Alcohol level is measured by the weight of the alcohol in a certain volume of blood, and this is called BAC (blood alcohol content or concentration). Smart Start of Alabama provides products that test a person’s alcohol level before allowing the vehicle to start. Many drivers are surprised when these life-saving devices detect a dangerous level of alcohol when the driver thought he was “ok to drive.” State laws vary when it comes to BAC or BrAC, but if you have even "just a few" drinks remember that it can take many hours (or even the next day) for the alcohol to leave your system. Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving.
HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM SMART START OF ALABAMA
We want your holiday season to be happy without the destructive consequences of drunk driving. MADD reminds us that drunk driving is still the #1 killer on our roads. Don’t be part of the scary holiday DUI statistics. Give the gift of sober driving. To find out how Smart Start of Alabama is helping to separate drinking from driving, call us or fill out our contact form.
