Put safety first during holidays

Oklahoma holiday festivities will include alcohol, setting up prime opportunities for impaired motorists to be on our roads. AAA Oklahoma warns, if you feel differently, you’re going to drive differently.

During National Impaired Driving Prevention Month, drivers need to remember that illicit drugs and prescription and over-the-counter medications can impair their ability to drive safely. When combined with alcohol, they can be even more deadly. AAA’s RoadwiseRx.com allows you to enter prescription and over-the-counter drugs to learn if they may have an effect on safe driving as well as their interactions with each other.

The responsibility to drive sober or not at all if you have been drinking can’t be neglected. Have a game plan before heading out the door. There is excuse to get behind the wheel while buzzed when there are so many alternative options to get home safely.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 885 people nationwide lost their lives in traffic crashes involving a drunk driver during December 2017. Three died in alcohol/drug-related crashes on Oklahoma roads during the Christmas holiday period last year, according to the Oklahoma Highway Safety Office. Fourteen were seriously injured.

Be a responsible host if the celebration is at your home: Keep plenty of nonalcoholic beverages on hand and be prepared to take the keys away from any of your impaired guests and arrange for them to get home safely or make them spend the night on your sofa.

Oklahoma law enforcement agencies are increasing patrols and checkpoints throughout the holiday season to keep our roads safe, according to the Oklahoma Highway Safety Office. Several ENDUI activities are planned across the state during the holiday season as a part of the national “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign. These highvisibility patrols and sobriety checkpoints have demonstrated success in getting impaired drivers off our roads.

If you see someone driving whom you suspect is impaired, ask a passenger to call star-55 or 911 or pull over to a safe spot on the side of the road to make the call. During the 2017 New Year’s holiday period, zero alcohol-related fatalities were reported by the Oklahoma Highway Patrol. Let’s have a focused attention on safe celebrating to prevent unnecessary loss of lives the 2018 holiday season.

Gamble is manager of public and government affairs for AAA Oklahoma.