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WILKES-BARRE — Jana Tidwell, manager of Public and Government Affairs for AAA Mid-Atlantic, this week said according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 13,384 people died in drunk driving crashes in 2021.
“With many people celebrating the New Year and then getting behind the wheel after a night of drinking, January 1 is a particularly dangerous day on the roads,” Tidwell said. “Even one death is far too many to be lost from a completely preventable crime.”
AAA urges motorists to have a plan before the party starts — drunk driving is 100% preventable.
As many prepare for New Year’s celebrations, AAA is reminding drivers and passengers alike of the dangers on the roads this New Year’s holiday, which consistently ranks among the year’s deadliest days for alcohol-related traffic fatalities.
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 2017-2021, 4,561 people were killed in December drunk driving crashes.
In its annual Traffic Safety Culture Index, the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety noted drivers overwhelmingly perceived driving after drinking alcohol (94%) as very or extremely dangerous and 68% believed such a driver would be likely to be apprehended by police.
However, 7% of respondents reported having engaged in this behavior in the past 30 days.
“This driving behavior must change in order to save lives on our roadways,” Tidwell said.
Sobering drunk driving facts
• In 2021, 13,384 people were killed in preventable, drunk driving crashes.
• 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 periods in 2021, there were 304 drunk driving-related fatalities nationally. (NHTSA)
• In Pennsylvania, there were 8,683 crashes involving a drunk driver in 2022 and 320 fatalities. (PennDOT)
• In Pennsylvania, there were 173 drunk-driving-related crashes and seven fatalities during the New Years and post New Year’s period in 2022. (PennDOT)
Responsible behavior
To strengthen efforts to protect the public against drunk drivers and reduce alcohol-related traffic deaths, AAA Mid-Atlantic is offering important safety advice to New Year’s Eve party-goers:
• Always plan ahead to designate a non-drinking driver before any party or celebration begins.
• 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 alcohol — even after just one drink.
• Do not hesitate to take the keys from friends or family members who may be impaired.
• Put apps or numbers for ride-sharing/local cab companies in your phone before heading out for the evening.
• Be a responsible host in reminding guests to stay safe and always offer alcohol-free beverages.
• 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 also can impair your ability to drive safely.
2022 Traffic Safety Culture Index
The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety’s 2022 iteration of the annual Traffic Safety Culture Index describes Americans’ perceptions of, attitudes towards and engagement in dangerous driving behaviors and identifies profiles of risky driving.
Key Findings Distracted driving
• Roughly 93% of drivers identify both texting/emailing and reading on a hand-held cell phone as very or extremely dangerous. Despite these perceptions, more than a quarter of drivers (27%) reported having sent a text/email while driving and 38% reported reading a text/email while driving.
• Drivers predominantly agreed that people important to them would disapprove of them engaging in distracted driving behaviors (87%–95% depending on the behavior).
Aggressive driving behaviors
• Most respondents believe driving through a red light (83%) or driving aggressively including switching lanes quickly and driving closely behind other vehicles (89%) is very or extremely dangerous.
• Fewer drivers perceive speeding as a dangerous activity and the speeding behaviors have the lowest perceived social disapproval of all the examined unsafe driving behaviors.
Drowsy driving behaviors
• Drivers predominantly perceive drowsy driving to be very or extremely dangerous (95%); however, 18% of drivers reported having engaged in the behavior in the past 30 days.
Impaired driving behaviors
Drivers overwhelming perceived driving after drinking alcohol (94%) as very or extremely dangerous and 68% believed such a driver would be likely to be apprehended by police. Only 7% of respondents reported having engaged in this behavior in the past 30 days.
By comparison, only 70% of drivers felt driving (within an hour) after using marijuana to be very or extremely dangerous and 26% believe such a driver would be likely to be apprehended by police. Only 6% of respondents reported having engaged in this behavior in the past 30 days.
Reach Bill O’Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.