New Year’s events provide a social atmosphere where alcohol is often consumed. Alcohol-related automobile crashes resulting in serious injuries and sometimes death occur throughout the calendar year, but New Year’s celebrations bring an increased risk with more people than normal out celebrating. In addition, texting and driving now adds another danger to being on the road over the holiday. According to the National Safety Council (NSC), sober driving will be critical, as alcohol typically is involved in an estimated 38% of fatalities during the holiday season.

“If your New Year's plans include drinking alcohol, your plans should also include a safe place to stay or safe transportation home,” said Erik Streib, M.D., medical director of the Smith Level I Shock Trauma Center at Eskenazi Health. “In addition, for everyone on the road, please be careful and know that even the safest driver may be struck by a drunk one. The safest choice is to stay off the roads entirely.”

The NSC estimates that nearly 500 people may be killed on the roadways during the upcoming New Year's holiday driving period. That number would likely be significantly higher if not for seat belts, saving more than 310 lives over the same driving periods. In 2020, 90% of front seat passengers used seat belts. If 100% of seated occupants wear their seat belts, it's estimated an additional 180 lives could be saved over the holidays.

“Careful and responsible driving cannot always protect you from those driving drunk,” Dr. Streib said.

People who don’t often drink and who have a lower tolerance for alcohol tend to drink and get on the roads this time of year. Likewise, people with serious drinking problems sometimes drink more because others are drinking around them. An increased tendency to drink combined with hazardous winter road conditions is a recipe for disaster. According to the United States Department of Transportation, your life and the lives of others on the road are at risk every time a driver gets behind the wheel after drinking. Here are a few tips to help you and your loved ones stay safe:

• Before drinking, choose a designated driver, or schedule a ride-sharing or taxi service.
• If you are hosting a party where there’s alcohol, offer non-alcoholic drink options and make sure all guests leave with a sober driver.
• Always wear your seat belt – it’s the best defense against drunk drivers.
• If you see what appears to be a drunk driver on the road, safely pull over and call law enforcement.

The dangers of drunk driving, especially during the holidays, are increased dramatically by individuals paying attention to their cell phones while driving, mostly for texting purposes. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Association (NHTSA), a five-second glimpse while sending or reading a text takes your eyes off the road, and at 55 mph, is the equivalent of driving the length of an entire football field with your eyes closed. It’s impossible to drive safely unless your full attention is on the task of operating your motor vehicle, and any distraction will dramatically increase your risk of crashing.