December has been declared National Impaired Driving Prevention Month to recognize the importance of safety for all on the roads. Alcohol and drugs can present serious risks for all drivers. Prescription medications can also impair driving skills, and distractions such as mobile phones and other electronics also exacerbate safety on the roads.
According to the National Criminal Justice Reference Service, statistics from 2010 show that alcohol-impaired driving deaths racked up to 10, 228 people, a decrease of 4.9% from 2009, when there where 10,759 alcohol-impaired driving deaths. However, 10,228 deaths still translates to nearly one third of all traffic accident-related fatalities across the country for 2010.
Since 1981, each President has demonstrated a clear commitment to preventing impaired driving through declaring December as National Impaired Driving Prevention Month (formerly National Drugged Driving Prevention Month). Federal agencies are also involved in efforts to keep intoxicated and drugged drivers off the roads. Be safe this holiday season.
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