MCDOT Reminds Motorists to Drive Sober this Holiday Season

The extended Thanksgiving holiday is one of the most heavily traveled times of the year and most fatal for drunk driving crashes. Specifically, Thanksgiving Eve is known as one of the busiest nights for bars and restaurants and sometimes referred to as “Black Wednesday,” as it largely includes social binge drinking (consumption of a high volume of alcohol in a short period of time), drunk driving, and underage drinking.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), from 2013 to 2017, more than 800 people died in alcohol-impaired-driving crashes during the Thanksgiving holiday period, making it one of the most dangerous holidays on our roadways. For that reason, NHTSA and its partners are conducting a social media blitz featuring two hashtags #BoycottBlackoutWednesday and #DitchDanksgiving to help deliver lifesaving messages into the public conversation and encourage positive actions that can help reduce impaired driving.

Aligned with our support of Vision Zero, MCDOT aims to assist law enforcement and to educate the public on the dangers and consequences of impaired driving. MCDOT reminds residents that these high-risk activities, combined with the sheer number of drivers on the road, make it an especially dangerous holiday for alcohol-related collisions.

Wondering how you can avoid a perilous situation on Thanksgiving weekend? Follow these NHTSA tips if you’ve been drinking or see a possible drunk driver:

·         Plan in advance and designate a sober driver before the first drink.

·         Buzzed driving is drunk driving. Don't risk it.

·         Never let family or friends drive if they have had too much alcohol to drink.

·         If you don't have a designated driver, contact a friend or family member, use public transportation, a taxi or ride share service like Uber or Lyft.

·         Whether riding or driving, ALWAYS wear your seat belt.

·         If you see a drunk driver on the road, contact local law enforcement. If you see a suspected drunk driver on the roadway this holiday season – or any time of the year – please call 9-1-1 to report the driver to authorities. It could save lives and help everyone enjoy a safe and happy holiday.

Maryland Campaign to Discourage Drunk Driving Launched: “Spend Time With Family, Not In Jail – Drive Sober.”

During the holidays, the number of people who drive impaired skyrockets. Law enforcement agencies across Maryland are stepping up sobriety enforcement campaigns.

The campaign offers the following tips to drivers:

• If you plan to celebrate with alcohol, include a sober driver in your plans.
• If you will be drinking, designate a sober driver before the party begins.
• When you know you’ll be drinking, leave your keys at home or give them to someone else.
• Once impaired, use mass transit, call a cab, get a free ride with SoberRide, or ask a sober friend to get you home.

Read more.

Maryland Teen Driving Coalition Announces Decline in Teen Driver Deaths in Maryland

Last week’s teen driving tragedy in North Potomac was yet again another reminder of the dangers of drinking and driving. Yet, a recent report from the Maryland Teen Driving Coalition was encouraging. The organization announced that the number of 15-to-17 year old drivers killed annually in car crashes in Maryland declined from 14 to 7 deaths per year since 2011. Read the Coalition’s press release below:

Teen Driver Deaths on the Decline in Maryland

Maryland Teen Safe Driving Coalition targets No.1 killer of teens—car crashes

Linthicum, MD – The number of 15-to-17 year old drivers killed annually in car crashes in Maryland has declined from 14 deaths per year to 7 deaths per year since the Maryland Teen Safe Driving Coalition was established in 2011. Maryland is one of 10 coalition states to experience a drop in fatal teen car crashes. Deaths in states with coalitions declined an average of 52 percent while states without coalitions declined just 24 percent.

Maryland also ranks the lowest of all states when it comes to unintentional injury-related death rates, including car crashes, for the fourth straight year in a row with only 26.9 deaths per 100,000 people compared to the national average rate of 40.6 (view press release here).

The Teen Safe Driving Coalitions, established by the National Safety Council (NSC) and supported by The Allstate Foundation, are comprised of traffic safety professionals, parents, legislators, business leaders and representatives from the nonprofit sector who are dedicated to reducing the number of teen driving related crashes in their state.

“The Maryland Teen Safe Driving Coalition has been working since 2011 to help change the culture of teen driving across our state,” said Cathy Gillen, leader of the Maryland Teen Safe Driving Coalition. “We are encouraged by the reduction in deaths among teen drivers, but we know we need to do more than just reduce teen driving deaths, we need to eliminate them completely.”

The 10 Teen Safe Driving Coalitions, including the Maryland Coalition, collectively have reached more than 1.6 million people through rallies, school programs, speaking engagements and other events. Some of the programs include:

• Ticket Your Parent:  Middle school focused program designed to get students thinking about driving behaviors years before they even begin to drive.
• Rx for Teen Safe Driving:  Prescription pad for doctors to share with teen patients and their parents that includes a list of best driving practices for new teen drivers. 
• Teen Crashes GTG (Got to Go):  Peer-to-peer program that can be implemented in schools.
• GDL (Graduated Driver Licensing) Game Plan:  Guide designed for coaches to emphasize the importance of GDL, especially with teens before they drive home after practice.  

Since 2010, The Allstate Foundation has supported NSC with more than $4.2 million in funding for coalition efforts and parent education initiatives.

Visit http://teensafedriving.org/md for more information.   

Contact:  Cathy Gillen, Leader, Maryland Teen Safe Driving Coalition, (443) 463-4449

Use SoberRide This Holiday Season

Don’t let a holiday celebration become a tragedy. Every year in Montgomery County, more than 400 people are injured in alcohol-related collisions. When drinking, be sure to designate a driver, get a ride home with someone sober or call a taxi.

The Washington Regional Alcohol Program, WRAP, is a non-profit, public-private coalition formed to fight drunk driving. Through state, federal and corporate funding, WRAP operates a free cab service called SoberRide. Get a ride home from the District or surrounding counties, including Montgomery, by calling SoberRide at 800-200-TAXI. SoberRide provides free rides home, up to a $30 fare. Since 1993, SoberRide has provided 55,000 free cab rides to impaired drivers.

More information is available on SoberRide’s website. For more information on taxi service in Montgomery County, visit the Division of Transit Services’ website or call 311, Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., 301-251-4850 TTY, or 240-777-0311 (from outside the County).