|
Thanksgiving Eve is a Big Night of Overindulgence
It’s Not the Food, It’s the Booze
Hamilton, NJ, November 20, 2018 –– As everyone knows, the day after Thanksgiving Day is called “Black Friday.” It is the busiest retail shopping day of the year. Few people realize, however, that the day before Thanksgiving Day is dubbed “Blackout Wednesday” or “Drinksgiving” in some circles. Thanksgiving Eve is unofficially called one of the busiest days of the year for high alcohol consumption or binge drinking by college students who are home for the holiday.
“While Thanksgiving Day is a time to share meals with our loved ones, the eve of Thanksgiving is one of the most dangerous times for overindulgence in alcohol – not food,” says Tracy Noble, manager of Public and Government Affairs for AAA Mid-Atlantic.
“The terms ‘Blackout Wednesday’ or ‘Drinksgiving’ may be clever ‘buzz’ words, but there is nothing clever about being buzzed or drunk and getting behind the wheel.”
According to NHTSA, between 2013 and 2017, more than 800 people died in alcohol-impaired-driving crashes during the Thanksgiving holiday period (6 p.m. Wednesday to 5:59 a.m. Monday), making it one of the deadliest holiday on our roads.
More cars on the road for the holidays mean more crashes warns AAA Mid-Atlantic. This year, AAA projects 45.5 million people are traveling by car to celebrate Thanksgiving with family or friends, including over 1.2 million New Jersey residents.
Law enforcement officials and traffic safety advocates cite three over-arching factors in the spike in DUI/DWI-related traffic crashes during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend:
- Heavy traffic. Thanksgiving Day is actually a heavier long-distance travel day than Wednesday.
- The domino effect of holiday revelry and bar crawls when college students are home for the holiday.
- During the holidays, 45 people are killed by intoxicated motorists a day, compared to 28 each day.
AAA recommends the following to help keep you safe this Thanksgiving holiday:
- Never let family or friends drive if they have had too much alcohol to drink.
- Designate a safe and sober driver before the party begins. If you don’t have a designated driver, plan to call a cab or a ride share, or use public transportation.
- Buzzed driving is drunk driving. Don’t risk it.
- If you see a drunk driver on the road, contact law enforcement
AAA works year-round to educate the public on the dangers of impaired driving in an effort to reduce traffic-related crashes and injuries.
|
