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New Year’s Day Ranks Among Deadliest Days on U.S. Roadways
Hamilton, NJ, December 28, 2018 – As New Jersey residents prepare for New Year’s celebrations, AAA Mid-Atlantic is reminding drivers and passengers alike of the dangers on the roads this New Year’s Day, which consistently ranks among the year’s deadliest days for alcohol-related traffic fatalities.
 “According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) 10,875 people died in drunk driving crashes in 2017,” says Tracy Noble, spokesperson for AAA Mid-Atlantic. “With people celebrating the New Year and then getting behind the wheel after a night of drinking, January 1 is a particularly dangerous day on the roads. Even one death is far too many to be lost from a completely preventable crime.”
Sobering Drunk Driving Facts
- In 2017, 10,874 people were killed in preventable, drunk driving crashes. In fact, on average, more than 10,000 people died each year from 2013 to 2017 in drunk-driving crashes. To put it in perspective, that’s equal to about 20 jumbo jets crashing each year, with no survivors. (NHTSA)
- In 2017, almost one in five children (14 and younger) killed in traffic crashes were killed in drunk-driving crashes. Fifty-four percent of the time, it was the child’s own driver who was drunk. (NHTSA)
- During the month of December 2017, 885 people lost their lives in traffic crashes involving a drunk driver. (NHTSA)
- In New Jersey, during the 2017 Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over Crackdown (December 8, 2017 –January 1, 2018) there was a total of 1,400 DWI arrests according to the New Jersey Division of Highway Traffic Safety.
Responsible Behavior
To strengthen efforts to protect the public against drunk drivers and reduce alcohol-related traffic deaths, AAA Mid-Atlantic is offering important safety advice to New Year’s Eve partygoers:
- Always plan ahead to designate a non-drinking driver before any party or celebration begins.
- Never get behind the wheel of a car when you’ve been drinking alcohol – even after just one drink.
- Never ride as a passenger in a car driven by someone who has been drinking alcohol – even after just one drink.
- Do not hesitate to take the keys from friends or family members who may be impaired.
- Put numbers for local cab/ridesharing companies in your phone before heading out for the evening.
- Be a responsible host in reminding guests to stay safe and always offer alcohol-free beverages.
- If you encounter an impaired driver on the road, keep a safe distance and ask a passenger to call 911 (or pull over to a safe location to make the call yourself).
- Remember: prescription, over-the-counter medications and illegal drugs also can impair your ability to drive safely.
New Jersey law enforcement is once again stepping up patrols throughout the holiday season into the New Year to keep our roads safe with 161 New Jersey police departments receiving $775,500 in grant funds dedicated to the 2018 Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over Campaign.
Visit PreventDUI.AAA.com for impaired driving facts, transportation alternatives and expert advice. AAA encourages visitors to Take the Pledge to drive drug and alcohol-free.
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AAA provides automotive, travel, and insurance services to 58 million members nationwide and nearly two million members in New Jersey.AAA advocates for the safety and mobility of its members and has been committed to outstanding road service for more than 100 years. AAA is a non-stock, non-profit corporation working on behalf of motorists, who can now map a route, find local gas prices, discover discounts, book a hotel, and track their roadside assistance service with the AAA Mobile app (AAA.com/mobile) for iPhone, iPad and Android. For more information, visit www.AAA.com.
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