Football season is here, much to the enjoyment of fans who have eagerly been waiting to see how their favorite team fares. Football games often mean football parties or a trip to your local sports bar or stadium. But does the tradition of alcohol consumption at these events make game day more dangerous for drivers on the road?
The statistics on game day drunk driving crashes
Bloomberg reports that the number of car crashes increases on game days. This can be attributed, in part, to an increase in drunk driving. However, deadly accidents are less likely to take place around stadiums where traffic is congested and thus moving slower.
Drunk driving is dangerous driving
While drunk driving may be more common on game days, it is an issue that is present on U.S. roads any day of the year. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that one alcohol-related traffic death takes place every 45 minutes in the United States. In 2020 alone, over 11,500 fatal drunk driving accidents occurred in our nation.
Drunk driving affects our reaction time, coordination and even consciousness. Drunk drivers may fail to follow traffic signs, may speed or weave between lanes and could even black out behind the wheel. Any of these behaviors could easily lead to a car crash that can prove to be fatal to other drivers on the road.
While most of us recognize the dangers drunk driving presents that will not prevent some from driving after having a few beers. Because any amount of alcohol can impair your driving it is best to avoid alcohol if you are getting behind the wheel. Doing so could save the life of another.