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The Licking County Health Department’s (LCHD) Safe Communities Coalition reported no crash fatalities in the county during November 2024. In November 2023, there were four crash fatalities reported. Year-to-date (November 30, 2024), there have been sixteen crash fatalities in Licking County. At this time last year, there were fifteen crash fatalities year-to-date (November 30, 2023). Our sincere condolences to the families and loved ones involved.
The winter holiday season ushers in parties and festivities, and that means more drunk drivers on the roads. To help keep drivers and their passengers safe, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is warning drivers about the dangers of drinking and driving. Help NHTSA and Licking County Health Department share this message: Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving. Alcohol-impaired driving is deadly and continues to be a factor in fatal traffic crashes in the United States, especially during the holidays. During the 2018-2022 December months, there were 4,759 people killed in alcohol-impaired driving crashes. In December 2022 alone, 1,062 people died in alcohol-impaired driving crashes.
Unfortunately, males and young people are at greatest risk for injury or fatality. In December 2022, drunk male drivers were involved in fatal crashes at a much higher rate (22%) compared to female drivers (16%), and young drivers ages 21-34 accounted for the highest percentage (25%) of alcohol-impaired drivers involved in fatal traffic crashes. Drivers should be safe during the holidays by planning ahead if they intend to drink. Impairment clouds a person’s judgment. Drivers should secure a designated sober driver or call a taxi or rideshare for a sober ride home. When a friend has been drinking and is considering driving, friends should be proactive — take away the keys and help them get a sober ride home. If anyone spots a drunk driver, contact local law enforcement.
The Safe Communities Coalition is a group of community partners with the goal to reduce traffic-related deaths. It is administered by the Licking County Health Department and provides monthly traffic fatality updates to the community. It is the Coalition’s mission to educate the public about the consequences of dangerous driving behaviors such as drinking and driving, reckless driving, distracted driving, not wearing a seat belt, and not wearing a helmet when operating a motorcycle.
