RICHLAND, Wash. — “Everyone should be at the table this Thanksgiving,” reads a Target Zero infographic shared by the Richland Police Department, urging people not to drink and drive as the holiday season approaches.
In 2020, there were 11,654 people killed in drunk driving crashes across the United States, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. That averages to one person roughly every 45 minutes. This is a 14% increase from the year before. Data is not yet available for 2021.
When sharing these statistics, RPD advised the community that “buzzed driving is drunk driving.” It noted that over 2,000 of those crashes in 2021 involved a driver with a Blood Alcohol Concentration below the legal limit, suggesting that those planning to drink at all should plan ahead.
Target Zero, a statewide campaign to reduce traffic deaths, suggests designating a “completely sober driver” or using a rideshare if you plan to drink this Thanksgiving. It also asks Washingtonians to intervene if they notice a friend wanting to drive while under the influence.
Between 2016 and 2020, more than 800 people died in a drunk driving crash over the Thanksgiving weekend, according to the NHTSA. It asks people to remember: if they feel different, they’ll drive different.
