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Auto Club Warns Against Intoxicated And ‘Intexticated’ Driving This Holiday Weekend

Auto Club Distracted Driving tagline

As the Labor Day holiday approaches, the Automobile Club of Southern California is reminding drivers: ‘Don’t Drive Intoxicated. Don’t Drive Intexticated.’ Recently released statistics from the California Highway Patrol show that both drinking and driving and distracted driving remain big problems in California.

To keep everyone safe during the holiday period, the Auto Club encourages drivers to make sure they have a plan to get home safely before heading out to enjoy the long holiday weekend if they plan to consume alcohol. It is equally as important to pay attention while behind the wheel and avoid distractions such as texting while driving.

According to the CHP, eight people were killed and 387 were injured in alcohol-related crashes over last year’s Labor Day weekend. During the 2016 holiday weekend, there were 16 fatalities and 377 people injured due to alcohol-impaired drivers, and over the same period in 2015, 19 were killed and 308 were injured in impaired driving crashes. 

Alcohol-related crash fatalities and injuries, Labor Day weekend (Friday through Monday)

 

2017

2017

2016

2016

2015

2015

 
 

Deaths

Injuries

Deaths

Injuries

Deaths

Injuries

 

California

8

387

16

377

19

308

 
               

Los Angeles

1

101

3

103

6

74

 

County

             

San Diego

0

31

0

21

2

21

 

County

             
               

Source: California Highway Patrol

         
               

“While alcohol-related crash fatalities have dropped in the last three years over this holiday, injuries have risen,” said Auto Club spokesperson Jeffrey Spring. “We want to remind everyone to make a plan before celebrating – use a rideshare service, stay at a hotel or someone’s home, or designate a sober driver. Your decision could save lives.”

Distracted driving is also a serious problem in California and the U.S. An average of nine people are killed and 1,000 more injured each day due to distracted driving crashes, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

As part of its new distracted driving campaign theme, ‘Don’t Drive Intoxicated. Don’t Drive Intexticated.,’ the Auto Club encourages all motorists to eliminate distracted driving by following these tips:

  • Put it away. Place your mobile device out of sight to prevent temptation.
  • Know where you’re going. If using a navigation system, program the destination before driving.
  • Pull over. If you have to call or text while on the road, pull off the road safely and stop first.
  • Ask passengers for help. If riding with someone, seek their help to navigate, make a call or send a message.
  • Be a good passenger. Speak out if the driver of your vehicle is distracted.
  • Don’t be a distraction. Avoid calling or texting others when you know they are driving.
  • Everyone should prevent being intexticated. Just as drivers need to pay attention, so do pedestrians and bicyclists. Never call, text or play games while walking or cycling.

For more information visit AAA.com/DontDriveDistracted. For the television PSA click here, and for b-roll of the making of the PSA, click here. (Password for both: Intexticated). 

CST 1016202-80 Copyright © Automobile Club of Southern California. All Rights Reserved.
The Automobile Club of Southern California is a member club affiliated with the American Automobile Association (AAA) national federation and serves members in the following California counties: Inyo, Imperial, Kern, Los Angeles, Mono, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Tulare, and Ventura.