GEORGETOWN, Ky. (LEX 18) — December is Impaired Driving Prevention Month, and with holiday celebrations in full swing, the Georgetown Police Department is reminding drivers to make safe choices before getting behind the wheel.
The holidays often mean parties, family gatherings and perhaps a few holiday spirits. But there are important safety considerations before driving.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 34 people die in drunk driving crashes every day in the U.S. That's one life lost every 42 minutes, and the week between Christmas and New Year's is among the deadliest of the year.
"During the holiday season, we have a lot of family that are out traveling at nighttime. And we want to make sure those individuals are safe from drunk drivers or distracted drivers," Lt. Chris Perkins said.
Lt. Perkins of the Georgetown Police Department's Traffic Unit says impaired driving is especially dangerous at night.
"A normal driver has a reaction time between 3/4 of a second to a full second. At nighttime, that can be all the way up to 1.8 seconds plus. Add alcohol to the equation to that, it can delay that reaction time," Perkins said.
That split-second can mean the difference between a safe trip home and a deadly crash.
"So you take the nighttime driving because that's when people are going to be out and about, celebrating the holiday season. They could be experiencing a 2 second delay in reaction time," Perkins said.
If you're planning to enjoy a few drinks at a holiday party, Perkins urges planning ahead.
"Have a designated driver, have somebody, a friend, that can take you home that's sober. Even go out and call an Uber. Plan ahead. Those are some of the simple things we can do to make sure the roadways are safe," Perkins said.
Other ways to keep roads safe include not letting friends drive if they've been drinking, ensuring all party guests have sober rides home if you're hosting, always wearing seat belts, and staying alert for impaired drivers on the road.
"Swerving in lanes. Weaving in lanes, if it doesn't look right -- driving too slow or driving too fast, and you have a slight suspicion it might be DUI, you're always welcome to call us through 911, that's probably the quickest way to get ahold of us," Perkins said.
The bottom line warning from Perkins: impaired driving isn't worth the risk.
"It's not worth it. You can face a minor violation to spending time in jail and be charged with a felony," Perkins said.
