You can also show your commitment to drive sober by displaying one of our Tie One On for Safety red ribbons or magnetic decals on your vehicle, which are available at our local MADD offices around the country. NSF is proud to recognize our 2023 Drowsy Driving Prevention Week sponsors and collaborators who are demonstrating their commitment to sleep health and road safety. But if you have a teenager who is also a driver, talking about the dangers of drowsy driving is one talk you need to need to have.
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Fortunately, there are steps you can take to improve your sleep health. If you’re thinking about or already planning an NPW event, check out the NPW Planning Toolkit for ideas and free resources. There are many ways for organizations and individuals to get involved during NPW, from hosting a prevention-themed event to participating in SAMHSA’s social media challenge… If you are human user receiving this message, we can add your IP address to a set of IPs that can access FederalRegister.gov & eCFR.gov; complete the CAPTCHA (bot test) below and click „Request Access“.
Sleep First. Drive Alert.™
Download and share the survey infographic with your friends and family. National Drunk and Drugged Driving Prevention Month occurs annually in the month of December, as it is the height of the holiday season. That is why Mothers Against Drunk Driving® (MADD) is teaming up with law enforcement agencies across the country throughout the month of December, which has been recognized as National Impaired Driving Prevention Month for the 39th consecutive year. You can download our full Drowsy Driving Survey Report below to learn more about the results and how to help prevent drowsy driving.
Get the sleep you need to be alert and refreshed when you drive
Motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of death and nonfatal injury among U.S. adolescents, resulting in approximately 2,500 deaths and 300,000 nonfatal injuries each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Families, educators, health care providers, and community leaders are invited to promote responsible decision-making and encourage young people to live free of drugs and alcohol. As everyone takes precautions to be able to safely return to in-person events, more and more celebrations are being added to the calendar. It could be an intimate dinner at a friend’s house, perhaps a happy hour to celebrate a return to the office, or a gathering of high school friends home from college.
Far too many families are left getting that gut-wrenching phone call after an accident — their worlds changed forever. Far too many passengers and pedestrians see their lives destroyed by someone else’s bad decision, and far too many law enforcement officers put themselves at risk to keep impaired drivers off our roads. We owe it to them all to do everything we can to prevent future tragedies. That starts by working to reduce substance use disorders, raising awareness of the dangers of impaired driving; and investing in technologies that can help prevent crashes, injuries, and deaths. We must also share our appreciation for the law enforcement officers who risk their lives each day to keep our communities safe while keeping impaired drivers off of our roadways.
December is National Impaired Driving Prevention Month
This holiday season, too many American families will have an empty seat at their table after losing a loved one in a drunk or drug-impaired driving accident. More than 10,000 Americans die every year in these preventable crashes. During National Impaired Driving Prevention Month, we call on everyone to help save a life by planning ahead, calling for a ride, only driving when sober, and helping friends and loved ones do the same every time. Nearly a third of deadly car wrecks in America involve alcohol, and some 26 million people drove under the influence in 2020, endangering themselves, passengers and passersby, and the law enforcement officers who work to keep our roads safe. Over 10,000 American lives are lost to drunk and drug-impaired driving each year, accounting for nearly a third of all traffic deaths. In 2019, some 11 percent of Americans drove under the influence, including a staggering 19.6 percent of people aged — and that number has only grown since the COVID-19 pandemic began.
It also requires all new passenger motor vehicles to be equipped with crash-averting features, like automatic emergency braking and collision warnings. The Department of Transportation is also partnering with State and local agencies and non-profits to educate the public through its Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over and If You Feel Different, You Drive Different media campaigns. My Administration is committed to reducing the number of alcohol and diabetes impaired drivers and raising awareness about the dangers of driving impaired. Driving while impaired by any substance — legal or illegal — is dangerous. Alcohol, illicit drugs, and even over-the-counter and prescription medications can impair a driver’s judgment, decrease motor coordination, and slow the reaction time necessary to safely operate a motor vehicle. Alcohol-impaired driving has led to over 10,000 deaths each year.
Every year, thousands of lives are needlessly lost on our Nation’s roadways because of alcohol — and drug-impaired driving. These are avoidable tragedies that leave deep holes in our Nation’s families and communities. During National Impaired Driving Prevention Month, we reaffirm our commitment to preventing impaired driving.
Each year, communities and organizations across the country come together to raise awareness about the importance of substance use prevention and mental health promotion. Two of the most celebrated dates in 10 fetal alcohol syndrome celebrities you’ll be surprised who! December – Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve – are also among the most dangerous. In 2018, drunk driving crashes claimed 108 lives in those two days alone, accounting for nearly half of total traffic deaths.
Young drivers (aged years) and shift workers are at greatest risk of falling asleep behind the wheel, but most drivers can relate to a time when they have nodded off while driving. The National Sleep Foundation’s Drowsy Driving Prevention Week® encourages everyone to prioritize sleep and drive when they are alert and refreshed. Our goal is to help people get the sleep they need and reduce the number of drivers who choose to drive while sleep deprived.Together, we can help people drive alert and work to prevent thousands of motor vehicle crashes each year. The holiday season is here and while people are celebrating with family and friends we want to make sure everyone drives sober.
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- My Administration is also raising awareness about the effects of impairment on driving ability through the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over and If You Feel Different, You Drive Different national media campaigns.
- According to the National Safety Council, over 40,000 people died in alcohol-related traffic accidents last year.
- And whenever you see loved ones or colleagues putting themselves or others at risk, step up to offer a hand.
Department of Health and Human Services.References to non-CDC sites on the Internet are provided as a service to MMWR readers and do not constitute or imply endorsement of these organizations or their programs by CDC or the U.S. CDC is not responsible for the content of pages found at these sites. URL addresses listed in MMWR were current as of the date of publication. We’ll be in touch with the latest information on how President Biden alcohol use disorder and his administration are working for the American people, as well as ways you can get involved and help our country build back better. We keep track of fun holidays and special moments on the cultural calendar — giving you exciting activities, deals, local events, brand promotions, and other exciting ways to celebrate. Follow us on social media to learn more about how to be your Best Slept Self® and how you can prevent drowsy driving.
If you see someone — a friend, loved one, colleague, or anyone else — putting themselves or others at risk, offer to help. We can have conversations ahead of time so there aren’t those awkward “in the moment” exchanges. In addition, encourage ride-sharing services for gatherings where alcohol will be served and check-in with guests if you’re hosting to see if they need a ride. With planning, you can eliminate a spontaneous decision to drive. Drunk driving crashes increase throughout the month of December as more people travel and attend events where alcohol is served. President since Ronald Reagan has proclaimed December National Impaired Driving Prevention Month.
In our 2023 Drowsy Driving Survey, we wanted to learn more about the attitudes, behaviors, and perceived risks of drowsy driving among teen drivers. Motor vehicle crashes are the second leading cause of death among teenagers in the United States. Educating teens, and their parents, about the risks of drowsy driving and the importance of getting the sleep they need before they get behind the wheel can help keep everyone safe on the road. Just like drunk, drugged, and distracted driving, drowsy driving is a real public health issue, causing thousands of car crashes each year and killing an estimated 6,400 people in the U.S. alone according to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports an estimated 100,000 crashes each year are caused primarily by drowsy driving, resulting in more than 71,000 injuries and $12.5 million in damages. Prevention Week (NPW), hosted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), is an annual national health observance focused on increasing the prevention of substance use and the promotion of mental health.