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.

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. The rise of edibles and vaping can also result in impaired driving and is illegal.

“Drinking and driving and driving while high is a recipe for disaster, and we see way too many injuries as a result during the holiday season,” said Erik Streib, M.D., medical director of the Smith Level I Shock Trauma Center at Eskenazi Health. “If you are going to be away from home and consuming alcohol, we urge you to plan for how you will safely get back home. Better yet, the safest option is to arrange for a place to stay as part of the planning and to stay off the roads entirely.”

The NSC estimates that 720 people may be killed on the roadways during the upcoming holidays; 371 during the Christmas holiday driving period, and an additional 427 during the 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.

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 or consuming drugs. Here are a few tips to help you and your loved ones stay safe:

• Before drinking or consuming drugs, 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 an impaired 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, it’s 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.