Tie One On for Safety – Red Ribbons for the 2023 Holiday Season

The holidays are meant to be full of love, laughter, and lasting memories. Yet, these deeply cherished moments are always at risk. During the 2023 holiday season – from November 1 through January 1 – there are 21 million chances you or a loved one could encounter a drunk driver on the road. (1)

“The holidays should be filled with love, laughter, and moments to remember, but tragically, too many families will experience their most terrible moments during this time of year. It’s heartbreaking that every 42 minutes (4) someone will head to a holiday party, family gathering, or religious service, but never make it there—simply because a driver got behind the wheel when they shouldn’t have,” said MADD National President Tess Rowland, who was severely injured by a drunk driver in 2021.

December is Impaired Driving Prevention Month, yet shockingly, drunk driving crashes surge as much as 40% during the holidays. (2)  Sadly 1,247 people lost their lives in alcohol-related crashes between Thanksgiving and New Year’s even in 2021. (2) Find more data here. The need for safe driving solutions has never been more critical.

This holiday season, as we have done for the past 3 decades, we’re asking everyone to tie a red ribbon onto their car as a visual reminder to yourself and others that you will never Drink and Drive. See the list below of the locations where you can pick up a red ribbon. Other things you can do to keep our families safe include:

• Always utilize ridesharing services, public transportation, walk or designate a non-drinking, unimpaired friend, or family member to ensure everyone gets home safely.
• Be a responsible party host: offer fun, non-alcoholic options for designated drivers. Find more safe party tips at org/party.
• You can also thank law enforcement for their efforts to combat drunk driving through initiatives like “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over.” (ADD LINK)

By working together, we can all move forward to a future where we all get there safely.

Mahalo to the 2023 TOOFS Sponsors – Par Hawaii and Hele Gas Stations, and DTRIC Insurance Inc. and the businesses providing ribbon pick-up locations across the state: Hele gas stations, Foodland and Sack n Save, Napa Auto Parts, Servco Auto Dealers (Toyota, Subaru, Lexus), and Zippy’s.