COLUMBUS – We apparently have a “do as I say, not as I do” attitude about drinking and driving.
According to research AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, released just prior to the New Year’s Eve/New Year’s Day holiday weekend, 97.1 percent of motorists find it unacceptable for a driver to get behind the wheel when they’ve had too much to drink.
However, one in eight — or 13.4 percent — of drivers admit to driving when they though their alcohol level might have been close to or over the legal limit, at least once in the past year.
Alcohol contributed to more than 12,500 crashes in Ohio in 2015.
New Year’s celebrations contributed: 134 alcohol-related crashes on Dec. 31, 2015 and Jan. 1, 2016.
The auto club recommends partygoers choose a designated sober driver before any holiday celebration and says hosts should serve non-alcoholic beverages and not let guests drive drunk. Ohio law holds those who serve alcohol liable for injury or death that occurs due to their drunk guests.