From Thanksgiving through New Year’s is a time of celebration, travel, and time with family. Unfortunately, it’s also one of the most dangerous times on America’s roads. Alcohol-impaired driving significantly increases the risk of fatal and serious auto accidents. Leading to countless preventable deaths and injuries every year.
Drunk Driving and Traffic Fatalities
Alcohol-impaired driving remains a leading factor in fatal car crashes in the United States. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA):
- In 2023, there were 12,429 alcohol-impaired driving fatalities, accounting for about 30 % of all traffic deaths nationwide. On average, one person died every 42 minutes in a drunk-driving crash.
NHTSA - Early estimates for 2025 indicate that traffic fatalities overall are trending lower compared to 2024, but impaired driving remains a persistent danger.
Why Holiday Periods Are Riskier
Holiday travel and celebrations involve more social gatherings and longer distances traveled, meaning:
- More drivers on the road late at night.
- Increased alcohol consumption at parties and events.
- A notable spike in drunk driving-related crashes and fatalities.
Studies show that up to 38 % of fatal crashes during holiday periods involve alcohol impairment, compared with around 30 % of non-holiday crashes.
Thanksgiving Holiday
The Thanksgiving weekend is one of the busiest travel periods of the year. With an influx of drivers and festive gatherings:
- The night before Thanksgiving consistently ranks among the deadliest nights for impaired driving.
- Historically, alcohol-related crashes surge and thousands of lives have been lost in the extended Thanksgiving holiday period.
Although exact numbers vary each year, NHTSA and safety analysts consistently report higher alcohol-involved crash rates from Wednesday evening through Sunday of the Thanksgiving weekend.
Christmas and New Year’s Holiday Period
Christmas
While Christmas Day itself often sees a lower volume of accidents due to reduced travel, Christmas Eve and the nights leading up to the holiday remain high-risk:
- Alcohol use at parties and social events contributes to elevated impaired driving incidents.
- Fatal crashes involving drunk drivers typically occur more frequently on Christmas Eve than Christmas Day.
New Year’s Eve / New Year’s Day
The deadliest time of the holiday season is widely recognized as New Year’s Eve through New Year’s Day. December and New Year’s holiday periods show one of the highest annual totals of drunk-driving fatalities. In 2023:
- 298 people were killed in drunk-driving crashes specifically during the Christmas/New Year’s period.
- 1,038 alcohol-impaired driving deaths occurred in December 2023 alone.
Late hours (especially midnight to early morning) are particularly dangerous, with nearly half of fatal crashes involving alcohol during those times.
Other Periods
Although this post focuses on the winter holidays, it’s important to recognize that other national holidays also carry significant risk:
- On the Fourth of July Approximately 617 people died in crashes during the July 4th period in 2023, and 38 % of those deaths involved a drunk driver.
- Memorial Day and Labor Day similarly see high percentages of fatalities tied to alcohol impairment year after year.
Recent Enforcement Efforts
To address the heightened risk, law enforcement agencies nationwide conduct high-visibility enforcement campaigns during holiday periods. NHTSA’s “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” mobilization runs annually from mid-December through New Year’s Day, increasing checkpoints and DUI patrols to deter impaired driving. These campaigns aim not only to catch impaired drivers but also to raise public awareness and encourage safer choices.
Preventing Holiday Tragedies
Your decisions matter. Every holiday season, lives could be saved if more drivers made responsible choices.
Safe Driving Tips
- Call the police if you suspect someone of drunk driving
- Call a friend or family member to take you home
- Spend the night at a friend or family member.
- Never allow someone who has been drinking heavily to get in the driver’s seat of a vehicle.
- When hosting a Party, be responsible and help guests arrange transportation. Hosts could be held responsible if someone leaves their home and kills or hurts someone in an alcohol related collision.
- Designate a sober driver before the festivities begin.
- Never ride with someone else who has been drinking.
- If you see someone attempting to drive drunk, take their keys or call for a safe ride.
- If hosting a party, take everyone’s keys
- Arrange ride share’s beforehand
Holiday celebrations should be about joy, family, and reflection, not tragedy. Alcohol-impaired driving remains one of the most preventable causes of death on American roadways. By planning ahead and making responsible choices, we can work toward safer holidays for everyone.
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