
A message from Safe Communities of Wright County
The night before Thanksgiving is a time for many people to gather in their hometowns and celebrate the official start of the festive fall season. On Thanksgiving Eve, also known as “Drinksgiving” or “Blackout Wednesday,” there is an increase in the overconsumption of alcohol. The U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is teaming up with the Minnesota State Patrol, the Wright County Sheriff’s Office and local police departments to make sure you make it to the Thanksgiving table. Before you head out to the parties on Thanksgiving Eve, it’s essential to take some time to remember that Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving. If your plans to celebrate include alcohol, plan for a sober driver.
“It is critical that anyone heading out to a bar or party take precaution and plan for a sober driver to see them home safely,” said Wright County Attorney Brian Lutes. “Unfortunately, the Thanksgiving Eve celebration has become a particularly dangerous night on the roads. We want our drivers to take this night seriously. This is a dangerous trend. Driving drunk is deadly, and no one should ever take that risk.”
NHTSA data shows that 13,384 fatalities in motor vehicle traffic crashes involved alcohol-impaired drivers in 2021. This represented 31% of all traffic fatalities in the United States for the year, and a 14.2% increase from 2020. From November 2017 to November 2021, 137 drivers involved in fatal crashes on Thanksgiving Eve (6 p.m. to 5:59 a.m.) were alcohol impaired. In 2021 alone, 36 drivers were alcohol-impaired in fatal crashes on Thanksgiving Eve. During those same years in November, young drivers ages 21-24 represented the largest percentage (44%) of alcohol-impaired drivers involved in fatal crashes on Thanksgiving Eve.
As holiday parties increase during this festive season, do not contribute to these senseless deaths by driving drunk. This is why Safe Communities of Wright County is working together with NHTSA to remind drivers that drunk driving is a matter of life and death. Remember: Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving.