Safe holiday driving Safe holiday driving
Thanksgiving Dinner

Stay Safe This Holiday Season

November signals the official start of the holiday season and, unfortunately, the rise in drunk driving incidents. 

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 40% of traffic related deaths during the holidays are the result of drunk drivers.  Between 2-3x more people die in alcohol-related crashes between Thanksgiving and New Year’s than any other time of the year.

More than 51 million people traveled 50 or more miles from home for Thanksgiving 2017. Combined with 16% of adults who admit to drinking more than usual during the holidays, you have a recipe for disaster. 

What can you do?

  • Designate a sober driver, plan a ride-share pick-up, enter contact information for a cab into your phone before heading to the party. 
  • There are lots of tasty, festive alcohol-free drink recipes to try and share. We’ve included a few below, and there are tons more on the web.
  • Many states have “social host liability” laws that hold the party host responsible for injuries that occur as a result of providing alcohol to guests. Have alcohol-free choices available, serve plenty of food, display numbers for local cab and ride-share companies, and – most importantly – don’t be afraid to intervene. If a guest has too much to drink, take the keys and call a sober driver for them.
senior driving

Driving While Senior

The first week of December is Older Driver Safety Awareness Week, designed to ensure older adults can remain on the road and drive safely.  

In 2015, more than 40 million licensed drivers were aged 65 and over. More and more seniors are living – and driving – longer, and AAA offers programs and resources to maintain their mobility and independence.

Helpful Links

Roadwise RX
is a free online tool that gives seniors confidential feedback on side effects and interactions among medications they may be taking, highlighting how they might affect safe driving abilities.    

CarFit 
clinics help older adults ensure their vehicle is properly set up for comfort and safety. Each check provides a comprehensive 12-point check of interior features by trained occupational therapists.    

SeniorDriving.AAA.com 
provides tips to improve your driving skills, evaluations of your driving abilities, interactive features, and advice on special car features and assistive accessories to keep you on the road.    

Defensive Driving
classes are offered in all states in our territory, providing a refresher course in traffic laws, strategies to drive safer, and techniques to compensate for age-related changes. Many states offer license point reduction and/or insurance discounts for completion! Online courses are also available.    

Try our Festive Holiday Mocktails!