Dr. Wood: Plan ahead to make sure you aren’t an impaired driver -- or ride with one
December is National Impaired Driver Prevention Month, and with all the holiday parties and family gatherings this season, it’s an important time to remember that no person should ever suffer the tragic loss of a family member or friend as a result of drunk or drugged driving.
In fact, the statewide Target Zero plan calls for action to reduce impaired driving so there are zero deaths or serious injuries from drivers under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Target Zero data for Thurston County shows that over the past three years, impaired driving killed 18 Thurston County residents and seriously injured another 34 people.
Too many teens and young adults in Thurston County are driving under the influence or riding with someone who is under the influence. Among county high school seniors, 17% reported that they had driven a car after using marijuana in the past month. Among county 10th graders, 17% rode in a car with someone who had been using marijuana and 15% with someone using alcohol in the past month.
It’s important to know that there are clear steps recognized by law enforcement, drivers education programs, and others that can reduce impaired driving by teens. These include:
Talk with teens about substance use of all kinds, including marijuana and alcohol, and set expectations. One resource that parents can use is starttalkingnow.org
Make it clear you do not want them to ride in a car with a driver that has been drinking alcohol or using marijuana, including family members, not just friends or other people they know.
Know the details of a teen’s plans and talk with them about their transportation options.
Work with other parents to plan safe transportation for group activities, especially for big events like prom, football games or other special outings.
Let teens know that if a safe ride is unavailable, you would rather have them get a hold of you, no matter the time or circumstance, and together you will work out a way to get them home.
We all know that the most effective way to stop impaired driving is to prevent it from happening in the first place, and there are lots of options to help adult drivers avoid an unsafe driving situation.
One of the key steps is to plan ahead. If you know you’ll be attending a party or other gathering where you’re likely to have a few drinks, plan a way to get there and return home that don’t involve getting behind the wheel. Here are a few ideas:
Have a designated driver. The designated driver can pick everyone up or can collect everyone’s keys at the meet up.
Pay for a ride. There are a wide variety of ride share apps, including Uber and Lyft, to choose from.
Sleep over. If someone has had too much alcohol or is under the influence of marijuana or other drugs, a sleepover is a better option than an unsafe drive home.
Work together. If a friend or family member is determined to be unsafe, conspire with other friends or family to prevent them from driving.
Be firm. Tell the person that you care about them and their safety. Let them know you would never forgive yourself if something happened to them, and that they would never forgive themselves if they hurt someone else.
The winter season can be a wonderful time to gather with friends and family, and celebrate the holidays, the new year, the first snowfall, a favorite sports team, or just being alive and together with loved ones. Getting home again safely when alcohol or marijuana are involved requires having a plan.
This season, take the time to think ahead and talk with loved ones. It could save a life.