Responsibility.org Focuses on Summer Safety Behind the Wheel: On the Road to Eliminate Drunk Driving
Washington, D.C. – As Memorial Day, the unofficial start to summer, approaches, it's crucial to remember the importance of responsible behavior behind the wheel. In a concerted effort to combat drunk driving and promote road safety this summer, Responsibility.org is continuing to raise awareness about the dangers of drunk driving and promote a multi-pronged approach to making roads safer and preventing lives lost.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, an estimated 13,524 people were killed in drunk driving crashes involving a driver with an illegal BAC (.08 or greater) in 2022, including 4,120 fatalities that occurred during the 100 days between Memorial Day and Labor Day.
"Summer should be a time of celebration and relaxation, but it's essential that this ‘fun in the sun’ mentality does not come at the expense of safety," said Responsibility.org Executive Director Leslie Kimball. "Ending drunk driving starts with each of us, and the approach must be comprehensive. Parents need to have conversations with their teens about road safety and decision-making; consumers need to understand how alcohol affects their BAC, especially before getting behind the wheel, and we all need to evaluate our frame of mind if and when we choose to drink. No one should have to share the road with a drunk driver."
Responsibility.org is dedicated to fostering a culture of responsible decision-making about alcohol and continuing the efforts to eliminate drunk driving during the summer months and beyond. Key components of this campaign include public awareness and social media engagement regarding safe transportation alternatives to driving drunk, collaboration with law enforcement and policymakers, information regarding responsible delivery principles, and public education about how alcohol can affect one’s BAC using Responsibility.org’s Virtual Bar app.
“Drunk driving crashes are 100% preventable,” Kimball said. “Working together, using these tools, and making sound decisions, we can save lives on our nation’s roadways and ensure that our summer memories are positive ones and we all ride safe and drive safe.”
For more information about the campaign and how to get involved, visit www.responsibility.org.
About Responsibility.org
Responsibility.org is a national not-for-profit that aims to eliminate drunk driving and work with others to end all impaired driving, eliminate underage drinking, and empower adults to make a lifetime of responsible alcohol choices. Responsibility.org is funded by the following distillers: Bacardi USA, Inc.; Brown-Forman; Campari Group; Constellation Brands; DIAGEO; Edrington, Hotaling & Co.; Mast-Jägermeister US, Inc.; Moët Hennessy USA; Ole Smoky, LLC; Pernod Ricard USA; Suntory Global Spirits; and William Grant & Sons. For more than 30 years, Responsibility.org has transformed countless lives through programs that bring individuals, families, and communities together to inspire a lifetime of responsible alcohol choices. To learn more, please visit www.Responsibility.org.