JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Between family gatherings and popping the cork on New Year’s Eve, the holidays can often lead to temptation for people struggling with sobriety.
Countless studies have found alcohol use spikes during the holiday season, which is way December is Impaired Driving Prevention Month.
“Whether you’re celebrating, you’re traveling, you’re vacationing, everything’s cranked up a notch,” said Judy Cotton with the local chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving
Drunk driving crashes jump as much as 40% during the holidays, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Researchers at Kaiser Permanente say the Christmas season, especially Christmas week, creates many opportunities for drinking to get out of control.
“Unfortunately, 2023 has been the busiest for me personally as a victim advocate and probably for this region of MADD, Northeast Florida,” Cotton said, adding that she wishes she had an explanation for the increase. “So the holidays, we’re always holding our breath this time of year because there are a lot of crashes that happen. A lot of them do involve alcohol.”
Doctors at UCLA say some people will double the amount they typically drink during this time of year.
If you plan to drink, experts recommend having a plan, whether that’s taking a rideshare or a taxi or making sure someone is a designated driver.
If you see a drunk driver on the road, contact authorities. In Florida, dial *FHP.
If you have a friend who is about to drink and drive, take the keys away and let a sober driver get your friend home safely.
“You have that, ‘Oh, I’m on vacation, so I can have a few extra.’ Well, you can still get into serious trouble when you’re on vacation or you could get hurt or you could lose your life and that’s something we just don’t want to see,” Cottons aid.
There are also several sober ride programs available this holiday season.
AAA’s Tow to Go program is in effect until Jan. 2. It’s a free service that can be used as a last resort if your other options fall through. All you have to do is call 855-2-TOW-2-GO.
Also, vouchers for a free Uber or cab ride through Farah and Farah’s “Safe Ride Home” for New Year’s festivities are available starting Wednesday. Click here to learn how to claim one. On Wednesday, zTrip announced it will also be providing services for Farah & Farah’s Safe Ride Home program. The company said no voucher is needed to take a taxi. Just let the driver know you’re with Farah & Farah’s Safe Ride Home Program for your ride on New Year’s Eve. You can book a ride by downloading the zTrip app or by calling: 904-222-2222 or 904-999-9999. Rides with zTrip will be covered up to $50 while supplies last. If the ride exceeds $50, it is the rider’s responsibility to cover the remainder of the cost.
“Just have the plan -- and stick to it. That’s the important part,” Cotton said.
If thinking about your own safety and the safety of others isn’t enough, there are also legal consequences for driving drunk. That includes fines -- anywhere from $500 to $2,000 -- alcohol awareness classes, a suspended license and up to a year in jail.