Alcohol impaired driving is a serious issue that impacts Americans on a daily basis. Just a single drink can cause a decline in visual function, mental judgment and motor skills, resulting in driver impairment.

How big is this problem?

• Every day, 32 people in the United States die in motor vehicle crashes that involve an alcohol-impaired driver.
• In 2020, 11,654 people were killed in alcohol-impaired crashes.
• The annual cost of alcohol-related crashes totals more than $123.3 billion.
• More than half of alcohol-impaired crashes occur on urban roads, and the vast majority happen in good weather (83%).

If you are drinking, please do not drive. If you plan to drink, designate a non-drinking driver or plan for a safe, alternate way to get home. A taxi or ride share is a recommended and safe option in a scenario like this.

Support the strengthening and vigorous enforcement of impaired-driving laws. These laws and practices save lives:

• Sobriety Checkpoints – allows officers to setup a roadblock and briefly ask drivers questions to access whether or not they have been drinking
• High-Visibility Saturation Patrols (also referred to as blanket patrols or dedicated driving while impaired (DWI) patrols)
• Alcohol-Impaired Driving Laws
• Alcohol Problem Assessment and Treatment Programs

Don’t forgot, your best defense against a drunk driver is wearing your safety belt! If you see a driver that is driving impaired, please report this to your local authorities.