This Fourth of July, Remember: Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving

Help prevent impaired driving crashes during the holiday weekend

FRANKFORT, Ky. (June 23, 2021) – As Kentuckians celebrate Independence Day next weekend, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) is joining the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to remind drivers that "Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving."

Unfortunately, the holiday weekend can create dangerous road conditions when individuals choose to drive while impaired.

"We want all Kentuckians to enjoy their Independence Day festivities," said Gov. Andy Beshear. "However, we encourage everyone to celebrate responsibly by booking a safe ride home or designating a sober driver if your celebrations include alcohol. The top priority for everyone has to be keeping themselves and others safe."

Last year in Kentucky, there were 62 crashes due to a drunken and/or drugged driver over the Fourth of July holiday period, resulting in 39 injuries and two deaths.

"Impaired driving is 100 percent preventable," said KYTC Secretary Jim Gray. "Drivers must understand that drugs and/or alcohol not only hinder your ability to drive, but also affect your judgment about whether you can or should drive. You may think you're fine, but impairment slows judgment, coordination and reaction times."

According to NHTSA, impaired driving fatalities typically spike during holidays. To prevent tragedies from occurring, the KYTC recommends the following:         

• Before the festivities begin, plan a way to get home at the end of the night safely;
• If you're impaired, use a ride-booking company, taxi, call a sober friend or family member or use public transportation to get home safely;
• If you see an impaired driver, safely pull over and contact law enforcement. You may dial the KSP toll-free line directly at 1-800-222-5555 or call 911.
• If you know people who are about to drive or ride while impaired, take their keys and help them make other arrangements to get to their destination safely.
• Wear a seat belt! It is not only the law, it is the best defense against an impaired driver. Buckling up helps prevent injury and death if involved in a crash.

"If you are under the influence of any substance and choose to get behind the wheel, you put everyone on the road in danger, including yourself," said Gray. "Remember – buzzed driving is drunk driving."

For more information on drunken driving visit https://www.nhtsa.gov/risky-driving/drunk-driving.  For more information on drug-impaired driving visit https://www.nhtsa.gov/risky-driving/drug-impaired-driving

Kentucky Office of Highway Safety Partners with Law Enforcement on Speed Awareness Campaign

'Not So Fast, Kentucky" runs through July 10

FRANKFORT, Ky. (June 21, 2021) – The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet's (KYTC) Office of Highway Safety (KOHS) is partnering with law enforcement agencies across the state on the 'Not So Fast, Kentucky' speed awareness campaign through July 10. 

"As traffic increases on our roads this summer, we must do our part to help protect ourselves and each other," said Gov. Andy Beshear. "Whether you drive a car, truck or motorcycle, put your phone down and slow down."

According to the KOHS, crash reports and citation data indicates 31 percent of crashes in Kentucky involve a speeding or aggressive driver. Males are the driver in 66 percent of those speed-related crashes. 

"Speed limits are put in place to protect all road users," said KYTC Secretary Jim Gray. "Driving over the limit greatly reduces a driver's ability to respond to unexpected situations such as stopped or slowed traffic, an object in the road, or encountering vulnerable road users such as pedestrians, bicyclists and motorcyclists."

Funds for the campaign were provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and distributed by KOHS to law enforcement agencies who applied and were approved for full-year grants. 

"We frequently hear from officers and Troopers that they would rather write a ticket than make a death notification," said Secretary Gray.  "I assure you that the goal is not to write tickets, but to save lives, so remember – Not So Fast, Kentucky."

The KOHS provides the following tips for dealing with speeding and/or aggressive drivers:

• Wear your seat belt!  It is your best defense against injury and death.
• Do not challenge the driver by speeding up or attempting to hold your lane.
• Give them plenty of space, as they may lose control of their vehicle more easily.
• Avoid eye contact and ignore gestures.
• If you are safely able to report an aggressive driver to law enforcement, provide a vehicle description, license number, location, and if possible, direction of travel.
• If you are being followed by an aggressive driver, drive to a safe place such as the nearest police or fire station, gas station or other places where there are people. Use your horn to get someone's attention. Do not get out of your car and do not drive home.

For more information, visit notsofastky.com. 

States Ramp Up Traffic Safety Initiatives

Ahead of Deadly Summer Travel Season

As traffic volumes rise, State Highway Safety Offices

increase efforts to protect road users

WASHINGTON, D.C. – With more Americans returning to the road and millions expected to take summer road trips, the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) is alerting motorists that State Highway Safety Offices (SHSOs) and their partners are stepping up programs to make sure the nation's roads are safe for everyone. 

Traffic is expected to come roaring back this year after a significant drop-off in 2020 due to the pandemic. Approximately 34 million Americans are planning road trips over the Memorial Day weekend, a 52% increase over last year, according to AAA. Memorial Day marks the unofficial start of the summer travel season and what is referred to as the "100 Deadliest Days" due to a historic increase in traffic fatalities between late May and the Labor Day weekend. The increase in travel also comes as state and federal officials conduct the annual Click It or Ticket seat belt outreach and enforcement campaign. 

"Everyone is excited to reconnect now that America is opening up. As more people take to the road this summer, our focus on safety during the pandemic needs to extend to the driver's seat," said GHSA Executive Director Jonathan Adkins. "Remember to buckle up, drive sober, stow your cellphone and drive the speed limit. We shouldn't compound the many deaths caused by COVID with additional loss of life on our roads – that is preventable."

Of particular concern to GHSA and its members is evidence that unsafe driving behaviors – speeding, drunk and drugged driving, distraction, and not buckling up – increased during the pandemic. Adding more vehicles to the road at a time when dangerous driving is rampant is a recipe for more crashes, injuries and deaths.

Just last week, GHSA released new data indicating 2020 is projected to have seen a dramatic 21% increase in the rate of pedestrian deaths, the largest jump in the history of federal record-keeping. 

States and territories are working with partners to remind the public about safe driving practices and relevant laws through a range of community outreach and engagement efforts, combined with high visibility enforcement of lifesaving seat belt, speeding, drunk driving and other traffic safety laws. 

As more families take to the road beginning Memorial Day weekend, states are ensuring that adults are buckled up and children are properly secured in an appropriate car seat:

•  New York is reminding drivers to buckle up with the help of NASCAR driver Ross Chastain. As part of the "Protect Your Melon" campaign, watermelons with stickers labeled "Protect Your Melon – Buckle Up" are being distributed to retailers across the state.
  
•  California law enforcement agencies are focusing on unrestrained drivers and passengers and ensuring that children are secured in the correct child safety seat.
  
•  In Washington State, mothers have recorded short videos asking their teen drivers to buckle up, using positive community norming principals to encourage seat belt use by the age group with the lowest belt usage but the highest crash risk.
•  Colorado is partnering with bordering states on a "State2State: Buckle Up" campaign. The goal is to reduce the number of unbuckled fatalities as people travel into Colorado by reminding them no matter what state you are in, buckling up is the law.
  
•  The U.S. Virgin Islands is reminding teen drivers to buckle up with age and culturally appropriate social media and radio-based messages, as well as peer-manned checkpoints to encourage seat belt compliance and promote it as the social norm.

Drunk and drugged driving is also a focus of state safety efforts throughout the summer, especially during the Independence Day holiday: 

Rhode Island is unveiling a new television and social media campaign where motorcyclists and their families share real-life stories about impaired riding and its devastating impact.

•  The Maryland Highway Safety Office is debuting a new summer travel campaign to remind drivers to "Keep Summer Alive." Motorists are reminded that if you have been enjoying time on the water, make sure you have a sober ride home.
•  SHSO and law enforcement officials in Tennessee, North Carolina, Kentucky, Georgia and Alabama are collaborating to detect and remove drunk and drugged drivers from the road through their annual "Hands Across the Border" safety campaign.
•  Indiana is offering ride-hailing coupons on Memorial Day and Labor Day through its Sober Ride Indiana program. The SHSO is also partnering with police agencies to increase enforcement of unsafe riding practices to prevent alcohol-related motorcycle crashes.
•  North Dakota is offering ride-hailing vouchers through the ND Sober Ride program to reduce impaired driving by encouraging those who have been drinking to leave the driving to someone else.
  

Amid an uptick in excessive speeding during the pandemic, states are working to remind drivers of the dangers of not following posted speed limits:

• The Minnesota State Patrol, sheriffs' offices and police departments are conducting high visibility enforcement across the state to stop speeding and aggressive driving from further devastating lives.
• The Connecticut Highway Safety Office is conducting a public outreach campaign about the dangers of speeding that is coupled with high visibility enforcement.
  
• The Georgia Governor's Office of Highway Safety's annual "Operation Southern Shield" speed enforcement and awareness campaign will take place during the third week in July.
  
• Kansas, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri and Wisconsin are increasing enforcement and public outreach to address speeding drivers.
  

About GHSA

The Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) is a nonprofit association representing the highway safety offices of states, territories, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. GHSA provides leadership and representation for the states and territories to improve traffic safety, influence national policy, enhance program management and promote best practices. Its members are appointed by their Governors to administer federal and state highway safety funds and implement state highway safety plans. Visit ghsa.org for more information or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.