National Driving Impaired Prevention Month

December is National Impaired Driving Prevention Month, a designation proclaimed annually by the President since 1981. Led by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the White House’s Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the month focuses on raising awareness about the dangers and consequences of impaired driving.

Key goals include:

• Raising awareness of impaired driving risks
• Honoring victims and their families
• Recognizing law enforcement efforts
• Educating the public about impairment from the first drink
• Supporting efforts to lower the legal blood alcohol concentration limit

Ways to prevent impaired driving:

• Offer help to those at risk of driving impaired
• Treat substance misuse
• Invest in technologies that detect and prevent impaired driving
• Require new vehicles to include safety features like collision warnings and automatic emergency braking