LANSING, MI (WKZO AM/FM) – The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is reminding residents to not drive impaired during the Thanksgiving holiday season.
“For those getting on the road this Thanksgiving, we want you to get to where you’re going safely,” officials said in a statement. “Two easy ways to help accomplish that: buckle up and don’t drive impaired by alcohol or drugs. While they might seem obvious, the reality is that drivers have been making risky decisions behind the wheel since the public emergency began – including driving impaired and not wearing their seat belts.”
The organization says many people killed in traffic crashes during the 2019 Thanksgiving holiday weekend weren’t wearing their seat belts, especially at night.
- 279 passenger vehicle occupants were killed
- 54% of those killed at night were unbuckled
- 42% of those killed during the day were unbuckled
During the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, from 2015-2019, nearly 800 people died in crashes involving a drunk driver.
The holiday period begins on Thanksgiving Eve when people begin to gather with family and friends.
For more safety tips, click here.
