AAA Western and Central New York encourages motorists to be extra vigilant this holiday season and to celebrate responsibly. New Year’s Eve festivities can be tempting, and AAA urges drivers not to drink and drive. AAA reminds partygoers to plan ahead with a designated driver, ride sharing, or overnight accommodations.

December is National Impaired Driving Prevention Month. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), every day, about 37 people in the United States die in drunk-driving crashes — that's one person every 39 minutes. In 2022, 13,524 people died in alcohol-impaired crashes – up 1% from 2021. Those deaths were all preventable.

Here are some of the ways in which drinking a 12-ounce beer over the course of one hour can affect a 150-pound adult:

• After One Drink, Inhibitions Are Lowered
  A person may be less critical of him or herself and others, and judgment begins to be affected. Coordination may also be affected. (BAC: 0.02-0.03 percent).
• After Two Drinks, Reaction Time Will Be Slower
  A person may appear relaxed and friendly. Reaction time begins to slow. (BAC: 0.04-0.05 percent).
• After Three Drinks, Judgment Is Not Sound
  A person will not think clearly and may do or say rude or unreasonable things, and reasoning is less reliable. Reaction time slows down. (BAC: 0.06-0.07 percent).
• After Four Drinks, Hearing, Speech, Vision and Balance Are Adversely Affected
  A person may have difficulty enunciating words. As eye muscles become more relaxed, focusing and tracking becomes more difficult. Although the drinker may not be aware of it, reaction time is greatly slowed. (BAC: 0.08-0.09 percent).
• After Five Drinks, Most Behaviors Are Affected
  Body parts do not seem to work together. Speech may be slurred. Performing any task that requires the use of hands and feet is difficult. Walking without stumbling also is difficult. (BAC: 0.10-0.11 percent).
• After 12 Drinks, A 150-Pound Person’s BAC Would Be About 0.30 Percent
  At this level, a coma or deep sleep is not unusual. If there is enough alcohol in the stomach when the person passes out, the blood-alcohol level will continue to rise. If the BAC reaches 0.40 percent, they may fall into a deep coma and die.

Drug-impaired driving is also a major concern for traffic safety. AAA research shows that marijuana can impair drivers in a variety of ways, and marijuana use is becoming more commonplace with the legalization of recreational marijuana in more than half the states in the U.S., including New York. While marijuana usage may be legalized, it remains illegal to use the drug and drive a vehicle.

People who use both alcohol and marijuana are some of the most dangerous drivers on the road – they are significantly more likely to speed, text, intentionally run red lights, and drive aggressively than those who don't, according to data from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety.

“Alcohol, marijuana, prescriptions and over-the-counter medications all lead to impairment and create dangerous, life-threatening situations on our roadways when users get behind the wheel,” said Elizabeth Carey, Director of Public Relations at AAA WCNY. “AAA’s message to drivers: you cannot drive safely while you are impaired. Please plan ahead this holiday season to avoid tragedies and celebrate safely.”

Travelers who need a hotel to safely spend the night can find area hotel prices at www.AAA.com. AAA WCNY does not participate in the Safe Ride/Tipsy Tow program that is offered in other parts of the country.