Can you imagine driving around on the holidays and getting hit by a drunk driver? For Bob Kent, and many others, this story is all too familiar. Kent lost his own son and two of his friends on Christmas Day, 2004. This holiday season, Kent shared his story with others as a reminder of the lives that are lost every holiday to people who drink and drive.

The statistics for drunk driving are staggering. It’s scary to think that “every 30 minutes, nearly 50 times a day, someone in America dies in an alcohol-related crash. This means you, your friends, your family are regularly at risk” – as documented by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). It’s disheartening that “Americans who drink and drive after holiday parties and festivities make the period between Thanksgiving and New Year’s one of the year’s most deadly and dangerous seasons due to alcohol-related crashes.”

Adults and teens are both regularly found guilty of drinking under the influence. Of course for teens, underage drinking is illegal and they shouldn’t be intoxicated in the first place. But adults, both young and old, who are over the drinking age have a choice – to be responsible. The CDC and NHTSA have both come up with lists of ways to prevent impaired driving and DUI accidents.

Before going to a party, you pretty much know if there will be alcoholic beverages served or not. If you’re not sure, ask the party host – make a plan and be prepared. Designate a sober driver before the party starts or arrange for a taxi ahead of time. Leave your car at home. Doing so will take away the temptation – the entire option – to drive home intoxicated.

If you are hosting the party, ask your guests if they have a designated driver when they RSVP for the event. For guests who are not drinking at the party, ask if they would like to be a designated driver and be sure to thank them for their help. If you are hosting a party and know that some of your guests are alcoholics, or former alcoholics who are currently in rehab or recovery, it will be appreciated if you choose to serve non-alcoholic beverages. You can also request your bartender to monitor the alcohol intake of your guests.

We have the power to change how alcohol affects our society by changing ourselves and our attitudes toward alcohol consumption and driving. Once we have changed our own behaviors, then it’s possible to help our friends and family make better choices.

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