Thanksgiving Eve, Blackout Wednesday: Stay safe on the roads for one of the biggest party nights of the year
Will you be out on the roads for the holiday this week?
Officials from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration are encouraging the public to drive sober the week of Thanksgiving.
"Substance abuse during this holiday has become something of a cultural phenomenon and is associated with binge drinking," according to the agency.
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The day before Thanksgiving specifically has been promoted on social media as "Blackout Wednesday," "Drinksgiving," or Thanksgiving Eve."
According to NHTSA, between 2013 and 2017, more than 800 people died in alcohol-impaired-driving crashes during the Thanksgiving holiday period, making it one of the deadliest holidays on our roads.
NHTSA and its partners are urging the public to take the following precautions, so everyone can enjoy a safe Thanksgiving and make it to the table:
- Plan ahead and designate a sober driver beforehand.
- Use public transportation, a taxi, a ride-share service, or your community's sober ride program to get home safely.
- Download NHTSA's SaferRide mobile app available on Google Play for Android devices and Apple's iTunes Store for IOS devices. SaferRide allows users to call a taxi or a predetermined friend and identifies the user's location so he or she can be picked up.
- If you see an impaired driver on the road, contact local law enforcement.
- Whether riding or driving, always wear your seat belt.
