4th of July – Drive Sober
This Fourth of July, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is working together with the law enforcement community to decrease impaired driving. NHTSA and law enforcement agencies across the country are working tirelessly to spread the word about the dangers of drunk driving and to remind all drivers: If you plan to drink alcohol, plan ahead for a sober driver. These expanded efforts to protect against impaired driving will be conducted in a fair and equitable way.
- In 2019, 515 people died in motor vehicle crashes over the July 4th holiday period (6 p.m. July 3 – 5:59 a.m. July 8, 2019). Thirty-eight percent (198) of those fatalities occurred in alcohol-impaired-driving crashes.
- From 2015 to 2019, there were 1,339 drivers killed in motor vehicle traffic crashes over the 4th of July holiday period. Thirty-eight percent (512) of the drivers killed were alcohol-impaired (BAC of .08+).
- During the 2019 July 4th holiday period, 69% of those who died in alcohol-impaired crashes were in a crash involving at least one driver or motorcycle operator with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) at or above .15.
- Nighttime hours are especially dangerous: Over the 2019 July 4th holiday period, of the 198 people who died in alcohol-impaired motor vehicle traffic crashes, almost 4 out of 5 (79%) of them occurred in nighttime crashes (6 p.m.–5:59 a.m.).
This Fourth of July, commit to only driving when you’re 100-percent sober. As you head out to celebrate, remember: Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over.
For more information on impaired driving, visit NHTSA’s website.