DriversEd.com released the results of its 2018 Holiday Drinking and Impaired Driving Report. An inaugural initiative, the report examines Americans’ driving habits, decisions and plans during the holiday season—covering a range of timely topics from office holiday parties to New Year’s Eve to drinking and driving to smoking marijuana and driving to Uber use.
Survey data found that 67% of Americans say they feel less safe on the road around the holiday season. In addition, 23% of Americans admit that they drink more alcohol during the holiday season than they do during other times of year, and 9% admit that they smoke more marijuana during the holidays than other times of year.
“The unfortunate reality is that every year come holiday time, there’s more drinking, and there’s more drinking and driving—which leads to more accidents and more deaths,” said Laura Adams, safety and education analyst at DriversEd.com. “The solution is actually simple: if you’re drinking, arrange for someone else to drive or call for an Uber, Lyft or taxi. Period. Any death caused by drinking and driving is a death that was entirely preventable.”
Among the study’s findings:
OFFICE HOLIDAY PARTIES: Of those attending work holiday parties who plan on drinking, 9% say they plan to get home by driving. Meanwhile, 22% plan on relying on a sober designated driver, 18% plan on using an Uber, Lyft or ride share and 4% plan on using a taxi.
NEW YEAR’S EVE: Of those going out to celebrate New Year’s Eve who plan on drinking, 6% say they plan to get home by driving. Meanwhile, 23% plan on relying on a sober designated driver, 18% plan on using an Uber, Lyft or ride share and 3% plan on using a taxi.
DRINKING AND DRIVING: 49% of Americans admit that they have driven after having one or more drinks.
MARIJUANA AND DRIVING: 16% admit that they have driven after smoking or ingesting marijuana.
This report is a follow-up to DriversEd.com’s 2018 Distracted Driving in America Report, released in October, which found that 54% of drivers admit to typing text messages while driving. The October report also revealed that 84% of Americans say driving after drinking alcohol is more dangerous than driving after smoking marijuana.
The full Holiday Drinking and Impaired Driving report—which includes additional data, insights and analysis—is available at https://driversed.com/trending/driversedcom-survey-shows-more-caution-road-needed-holiday-season
Methodology
The 2018 Holiday Drinking and Impaired Driving survey
