(LEX 18) — Record-breaking holiday travel is projected to begin Saturday and continue through New Year's Day, prompting safety advocates to issue urgent warnings about one of the deadliest times of the year on American roads.
From Dec. 20 through Jan. 1, AAA projects 122.4 million Americans will travel at least 50 miles from home — up more than 2% from last year.
"More people than ever are out on the roads traveling to see their family," said Alex Otte, national president of Mothers Against Drunk Driving. "That holiday season is one of the deadliest times of the year."
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there are more drunk-driving fatalities on Christmas and New Year's Eve than any other holiday.
"Decisions are being made and we know that it costs us a lot of lives and causes a lot of serious injuries," Otte said.
NHTSA numbers show the financial impact of impaired crashes totals more than $58 billion every year in property damage, medical expenses and lost time at work.
Otte, who was severely injured by a drunk boat operator in 2010, brings a personal perspective to the fight against drunk driving.
"There is a big awareness of what has been lost," Otte said. "I do believe that I have to keep talking about it or it's going to keep happening."
That motivation is shared by Tammy McGee, who talks about safe driving with students and parents nationwide. McGee lost her 16-year-old son Conner in a crash where an unlicensed teen driver was speeding and lost control of his car.
"We don't want that for anyone, we want people to understand that these deaths, these roadway deaths are 100% preventable," McGee said.
Otte's message for holiday travelers is to remain vigilant.
"Even if you're doing absolutely everything right on the road, there still may be people on the road who aren't," Otte said.
Advice from The National Road Safety Foundation regarding fatigue is to be alert to these signs of drowsiness while driving:
- Difficulty focusing, frequent blinking, rubbing eyes
- Daydreaming or not remembering the last few miles driven
- Head snaps, nodding and yawning
- Drifting out of your lane, tailgating or hitting rumble strips
