December is National Impaired Driving Prevention Month, which places a special focus on the dangers of drinking and driving, as well as drugged driving.
Both impairments put drivers, passengers and pedestrians at risk. Drugs and alcohol impair a driver’s motor skills, reaction time and judgment as the substances act negatively on the brain and central nervous system.
According to the 2011 Monitoring the Future Study (MTF), nearly one in six high school seniors reported that within the past two weeks, they had driven a motor vehicle after using an illicit drug or drinking heavily.
Studies have shown that over 20 percent of car accidents may be caused by drugged driving. Let’s use National Impaired Driving Prevention Month to raise awareness of these dangers and take the time to talk with our teens to make sure they stay safe on the road.
