This Thanksgiving holiday, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is teaming up with Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service’s Watch UR BAC program to make sure you make it to the Thanksgiving table. With the Thanksgiving holiday kicking off a very merry time of year, 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. You may have heard of the popular trend during the Thanksgiving holiday, “Blackout Wednesday,” which occurs on the eve of Thanksgiving. Unfortunately, this trend encourages the heavy consumption of alcohol, which is why we’re working hard to keep drunk drivers off the roads.

According to TxDOT In 2021, there were 1,077 people killed in motor vehicle traffic crashes where a driver was under the influence of alcohol. This is why Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Family and Community Health Agent Courtney Parrott, Brown County is working to remind drivers that drunk driving is not only illegal, it is a matter of life and death. As you head out to festivities during this Thanksgiving holiday, remember: Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving.

“We know friends and families will be especially excited to gather around the Thanksgiving table this year,” said Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Family and Community Health Agent Courtney Parrott, Brown County. “Unfortunately, drunk driving is a real threat to our community, and that threat increases during holidays like Thanksgiving. We want our drivers to take Blackout Wednesday seriously. This is a dangerous trend. Driving under the influence is deadly and illegal, and no one should ever take that risk.”

The bottom line is this: If you know you’re headed out for a night of drinking, make sure you plan for a sober ride home. It is never safe to get behind the wheel of a vehicle while drunk or otherwise impaired. Remember: Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving.

Thanksgiving Holiday Safety Tips

If you’re planning to head out to the bar or to parties during the Thanksgiving holiday, make sure you plan for a sober ride home. Here are a few tips to help you prepare for a safe night out.

• Remember that it is never okay to drink and drive. Even if you’ve had only one alcoholic beverage, designate a sober driver or plan to use public transportation or a ride service to get home safely.
• If you see a drunk driver on the road, call 911 as drunk driving IS an emergency.
• Do you have a friend who is about to drink and drive? Take the keys away and make arrangements to get your friend home safely.

By working together, we can save lives and help keep America’s roadways safe. Please join us in sharing the lifesaving message Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving during the holiday weekend.

For more information, contact Jeffrey Pearce, Watch UR BAC Program, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, by phone 979-321-5333, or email Jeffrey.pearce@ag.tamu.edu please visit https://www.nhtsa.gov/risky-driving/drunk-driving