“Have a plan in place — designate a sober driver, utilize a ride-share — so we don’t have something tragic happen on our roadways,” said Ohio State Highway Patrol Sgt. Ryan Purpura. “We’re not saying don’t have a good time — we just want that time to be responsible.”
Intoxicated people across the nation get behind the wheel of an automobile roughly 147 million times each year, according to a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
People drive drunk all the time, but alcohol tends to flow during New Year’s celebrations and significant numbers of Ohioans drink too much and then decide to drive home.
A recently released survey by a group called Insuranceopedia found that more than half of Americans know someone who has driven drunk on New Year’s Eve.
“The fact that 52% of Americans know someone who has driven drunk on New Year’s Eve highlights the urgent need for increased awareness and responsible decision-making,” Max Coupland, the CEO of Insuranceopedia, said in a prepared statement.
Over the New Year’s holiday weekend last year, Ohio had 159 OVI-related crashes, and about 39% of those resulted in injuries, according to state patrol data. OVI stands for operating a vehicle while intoxicated.
During that four day period, Ohio had 11 fatal crashes, and alcohol or drugs were a factor in nine of those incidents. Most of the people who died were not wearing their seatbelts.
Dayton has had about 20 traffic fatalities this year, and three were confirmed to be drug- or alcohol-related and eight might be related to drug or alcohol intoxication, police said.
Dayton police Major Christopher Malson said drinking alcohol impairs judgement and decision-making and increases the risk of severe injuries and fatalities in auto crashes.
“If you plan to celebrate New Year’s Eve with alcohol the Dayton Police Department asks that you have a plan,” he said. “If you’re hosting a party and/or drinking please use either have a designated driver or use a rideshare program.”
The Dayton Police Department typically increases police patrols around the holidays when they see more auto crashes, Malson said.
“Let’s prioritize responsible choices to ensure a positive start to the new year,” he said.
Motorists and community members are encouraged to call #677 or 911 to report impaired drivers.
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