Millions of people are on the roads on Christmas Day to celebrate with family. The volume means there will be accidents, and the sad reality of drinking and driving being the issue that it is means people will die in accidents involving drunk drivers.
According to federal data, 39 percent of all U.S. traffic fatalities on Christmas Day 2020 involved drunk drivers.
Preventing as much of this as possible is a focus for Virginia State Police this holiday season.
“Our goal is to ensure that every Virginian gets home safely to their families this holiday season,” said Gov. Glenn Youngkin, promoting the annual Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over DUI enforcement and public education campaign.
“Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over is back to remind folks to celebrate responsibly and plan a safe ride home if they’ve been drinking,” Youngkin said.
There’s really no excuse. Just don’t get on the roads if you’ve had too much to drink, and if you’re not sure, you’ve probably had too much.
Ask a family member of friend for a life, call an Uber, whatever.
“The research is clear: the winter holidays are one of the most dangerous times of the year due to alcohol-related crashes. It’s crucial that everyone does their part to keep themselves and their families safe this holiday season by making a plan for a sober ride home if your festivities include alcohol,” Virginia DMV Acting Commissioner Linda Ford said.
Since the holiday DUI awareness campaign’s launch in 2001, alcohol-related crashes have decreased by 40 percent, fatalities have decreased by 31 percent, and injuries have nearly halved.
Last year in Virginia, over a fourth (26 percent) of all traffic fatalities involved alcohol, representing a 9.2 percent decrease from 2020.
The numbers tell us there is still more work to be done to end the epidemic of drunk driving once and for all.
If you do get on the roads after having one too many boozy egg nogs, keep in mind that State Police and local law enforcement are going to be all over the place.
VSP and 120 local agencies are taking part in Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over through New Year’s Day.
Law enforcement officers will conduct 536 individual saturation patrols and 95 sobriety checkpoints across the Commonwealth.
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Chris Graham
