December is National Impaired Driving Prevention Month, and AAA is urging people to be more cognizant of driving sober or having a ride plan when attending holiday gatherings.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported that in December 2023, over 1,000 people died in drunk driving crashes. Between 2019 and 2023, over 4,900 deaths occurred in drunk driving crashes during December.
According to the most recent data from the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute, Indiana had nearly 8,900 impaired driving crashes throughout 2022, resulting in 220 deaths and over 4,400 injuries. The number of crashes spiked in December.
Christina Griffiths, manager of public affairs and communications for AAA Hoosier Motor Club, said the probability of getting into a crash increases because more people are on the road during the holidays. And more people drink or use other drugs at holiday celebrations. Cannabis and nicotine use has increased in the last 10 years.
“When we talk about impaired driving in general, we're not just talking about alcohol anymore. It's including alcohol, cannabis and any other drugs,” she said. “So, I think that's part of it, is that there is an increase in use of those other drugs, and people just don't necessarily realize that, hey, this could be affecting you just as bad as alcohol, or it's just different.”
According to a national AAA Foundation survey, 93 percent of respondents say driving after drinking is dangerous, but seven percent still admitted to doing so within 30 days of doing the survey. About 70 percent of respondents said driving within an hour of using marijuana is very or extremely dangerous, but six percent said they do it anyway.
AAA is partnering with Mothers Against Drunk Driving to raise awareness and aims to decrease impaired driving by 20 percent in the next five years. AAA is also studying technology that could be added to vehicles to curb impaired driving. Griffiths said she might also work with lawmakers in the next few years to pass laws that discourage impaired driving.
