Ah, the Labor Day weekend, our final farewell to summer; picnics, boating, family and drinking. It’s that last part that is cause for concern and should be for everyone. There were 28 traffic fatalities on Labor Day weekend in 2014 in Texas and twenty-two of those deaths had alcohol involved. Sobering statistics, at least we hope so.
To crack down on drunk drivers during this holiday weekend, the DPS will be out in force using road checks and stepped up enforcement to minimize the number of drunk drivers on Texas roads. To eliminate fatalities completely is the goal of the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over Campaign. Aimed at protecting drunk drivers from their own destructive behavior, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has established this program nationwide to educate people on the facts about drinking and driving and ways to protect yourself and others. Go to nhtsa.gov/drivesober to see videos and get more information.
If you are planning a celebration on Labor Day there are things you can do to minimize alcohol consumption and keep people safe. Here a just a few:
*Keep people active with outdoor sports and events.
*If you serve alcohol be sure to serve plenty of food as well so that drinking is not the focal point.
*Make sure to have plenty of water and soft drinks on hand as an alternative to alcohol.
*If someone drinks too much DO NOT let them leave. Have someone take them home or call a cab or one of the many free alternatives for rides, such as SaferRide mobile app that will call a cab or friend for a ride home or SoberRides.org. that helps you arrange transportation ahead of time or on the spot plus it has a lot of good information about how much is too much.
*Pace yourself if you are drinking. Be the one that makes sure everyone else gets home safe.
Make it a fun transition from summer to fall and keep yourself and your loved ones safe by paying attention to alcohol consumption. For more information on the effect of alcohol on driving just log into wirelessdefensivedriving.com.
