Gateway Reminder: 1 out of 3 Driving Fatalities Involve Alcohol
Chicago, IL (PRWEB) December 20, 2013 -- Gateway Alcohol & Drug Treatment Centers urge adults hopping from one holiday gathering to the next to assign a designated driver for the night. And here’s a sobering reminder why: According to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s report on motor vehicle crashes, 10,322 people were killed due to alcohol-impaired driving in 2012, an increase of 6.7 percent from 2011.
Exceeding the national average, in the state of Illinois alcohol-impaired driving fatalities increased 15 percent from 2011 to 2012:
• In 2011, 918 killed with 278 (30 percent) involving alcohol-impaired driving.
• In 2012, 956 killed with 321 (34 percent) fatalities involving alcohol-impaired driving.
“Because of drunk driving, thousands of American families will spend the holidays this year without their loved ones,” says Michael Darcy, president, Gateway Foundation Alcohol & Drug Treatment. “Driving under the influence of alcohol is never worth the risk of causing harm to oneself, to passengers as well as to other drivers. If you think you or a loved one has a drinking problem, it’s important to address it before the consequences catch up.”
Innocently Over-Served
Even conscientious drinkers who limit themselves to one or two alcoholic beverages while out on the town could easily find themselves beyond the legal limit for driving while unintentionally putting their health at risk.
For context, the USDA's Dietary Guidelines for Americans say people who drink should do so in moderation, which means one drink a day for women and up to two drinks a day for men. The guidelines define a "drink" as 12 ounces of regular beer with 5 percent alcohol, 5 ounces of wine with 12 percent alcohol and 1.5 ounces of 80-proof spirits, which are 40 percent alcohol by volume.
“Drinks served in bars and restaurants often contain more alcohol than people realize. When you consider the alcohol volume, the size of the pour and the size of glass your drink arrives in, there can be a lot of variance,” explains Darcy. “To steer clear of getting behind the wheel intoxicated, make sure a sober driver is on standby to get everyone home safely.”
About Gateway Foundation Alcohol & Drug Treatment
Gateway Alcohol & Drug Treatment Centers provide substance abuse treatment services for adolescents and adults at drug treatment centers throughout the state and the St. Louis Metro East area. Gateway is licensed by the state of Illinois and accredited by The Joint Commission, the leading accrediting organization for hospitals and behavioral healthcare organizations. Each year, Gateway Treatment Centers help thousands of individual's successfully complete treatment. To learn more about Gateway’s free, confidential consultation, call 877-505-HOPE (4673).
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Kym Vasey, Gateway Foundation, 630-776-5725, [email protected]
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