Don’t drive drunk this holiday season: Avoid a DUI

Holidays help lots of people get together and see each other when they otherwise may not make the time. Unfortunately, this season also means that there will be a lot of drinking. Everything from a nice dinner out to an extended family gathering might be paired with a few alcoholic beverages of choice during the time between Thanksgiving and Super Bowl Sunday. The odds of getting into an accident increase when there are more vehicles on the roads, but those odds also increase when alcohol is present and more people drive drunk.

While it can be fun to get together with your loved ones and have a good time, remember that drunk driving is still dangerous driving. In fact, it may be even more dangerous than usual this time of year because of the greater number of people on the roads.

What can you do to be safer? Buckle up, avoid alcohol and make better decisions.

To stay safe, you need to remember to buckle up, avoid or reduce your intake of alcohol, and make healthy decisions. Many people get in crashes during this season and throughout the year, which is why buckling up is one of the few ways to protect yourself. If you will be driving or riding in a car, you should be wearing a seat belt.

If you plan to drive, avoid drinking. It may not seem as fun to avoid alcohol, but driving with any alcohol in your system increases your risk of impairment. Depending on the kind of beverage you drink and how much you have, you can easily be unfit to drive.

Finally, know that no matter what you do, making healthy decisions will help prevent crashes. Whether that means carpooling with a sober driver, calling a cab, avoiding alcohol or skipping events where bingeing is likely, taking the steps to avoid situations that could lead to a car crash will help you stay safer.

This time of year may seem to feature alcohol as a main event, but that isn’t really the case. Drinking is just a side note to seeing your family and friends. The last thing anyone wants is to face a DUI or to have the good times turned sour by a drunk driving arrest or serious car crash.

Be cautious this extended holiday season. Take the time to sober up, or call for a ride. You’ll be glad you did, because you’ll be able to enjoy time with those you care about without risk.