Extra Attention

As your coworkers, friends and relatives prepare to hit the road for Thanksgiving, you can work to ensure their safety by calling attention to the risks of impaired driving. The days leading up to the holiday, especially Thanksgiving Eve – also known also as Blackout Wednesday – are among the most dangerous times to be on the road

Why it Matters

• 174 lives lost in 2023: During the Thanksgiving holiday period (6 p.m. Wednesday to 5:59 a.m. Monday), 174 people died in drunk-driving crashes nationwide, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. That’s more than one-third (35%) of all traffic fatalities during that time.
• Blackout Wednesday is deadly: From 2017 to 2021, 137 drivers involved in fatal crashes on Thanksgiving Eve were alcohol-impaired. In 2021 alone, 36 drivers were drunk during fatal crashes on that night.
• Young adults at highest risk: Drivers ages 21-34 accounted for 37% of those involved in fatal drunk-driving crashes during the Thanksgiving travel period in 2023.
• Marijuana and driving don’t mix: A recent NHTSA study found that 60% of surveyed drivers admitted to driving while feeling the effects of marijuana in the past six months. Alarmingly, 24% believed it made them a better driver. Research shows marijuana use can slow reaction time, and decrease attention and coordination – all key components in safe driving.

What Can You Do?

Start by sharing safety tips in an email blast or on a bulletin board:

• Encourage employees to plan ahead for a sober ride home
• Promote designated drivers, rideshare apps and taxi services
• Remind everyone to slow down, buckle up and stay distraction-free

Get Free Resources

• Leverage free resources from the Texas Department of Transportation, including Faces of Drunk Driving testimonials you can play during a team safety meeting
• Download and display our November Traffic Tabloid pieces to promote safe driving (posters available in English and Spanish)
• Create engagement with driver-safety games, Impairment Jeopardy
• Be sure everyone on your team understands what happens when different drugs combine into a potentially volatile mix; this free multi-substance use course takes about 12 minutes to complete
• Sign up for free Workplace Impairment Training, offered in-person and online; take what you learn back to your location
• Highlight NHTSA’s Thanksgiving Impaired Driving Campaign
• Use hashtags like #DriveSoberTX and #BlackoutWednesday to join the conversation on your social media channels

Support Employee Wellness

• Direct employees to FindTreatment.gov for confidential, bilingual access to substance use and mental health services.

The Payoff: A Safer Holiday

By putting safety first, we help ensure everyone makes it to the table for turkey, mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie. Let’s work together to make Thanksgiving a celebration – not a time marked by a tragedy.

Older Drivers, Aging Workforce

As Texas roads and workplaces evolve, one trend is clear: the population is aging – and that includes your employees and the drivers around them. Understanding this shift is key to promoting safety and supporting older workers behind the wheel as we approach Older Driver Safety Awareness Week (Dec. 1-5).

During the week, you’ll want to focus on raising awareness of age-related driving risks and providing resources for older drivers and their families to address age-related changes that can affect driving.

Why Now?

A study from the University of Texas projects that by 2028, 1 in 4 drivers in Texas will be over 65. That’s a significant increase driven by demographic shifts; in 2018, 1 in 6 drivers were 65 or older.

Read the full policy brief: Senior Texans Drive More, Walk Less than Their National Counterparts.

National Shift

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a steady rise in older adults staying in the workforce. More than 40 million U.S. workers are age 55 and older.

Pew Research Center notes:

• 1 in 5 people over 65 are still working
• The older workforce has nearly quadrupled in size since the mid-1980s

Safety Implications

Older workers often maintain active lifestyles and drive more than ever. However, age-related changes – like reduced vision, slower reaction times and health conditions – can affect driving safety.

Take action to keep your older drivers safe. Review health and wellness policies. Create and share a 55-and-over driver safety checklist and include items such as these:

• Schedule annual physical and eye exams
• Meet with a doctor or pharmacist to review side effects of medications for fatigue or dizziness
• Commit to distraction-free driving – take the Just Drive Pledge from the National Safety Council

Training & Resources

Register to attend Our Driving Concern Transportation Safety Training for the Workplace. This training can be delivered online or in-person. Contact us to schedule training.

Introduce CarFit, an educational program developed by AARP and the American Occupational Therapy Association. The program is dedicated to helping older drivers adjust their vehicles for better comfort and control. CarFit offers:

• On-demand workshops: Learn how to adjust features on your vehicle for better fit, like your vehicle seat, steering wheel, seat belt and head restraints
• Free guided virtual sessions (register to attend): Helping Mature Drivers Find Their Safest Fit
• Events near you (sign up to attend): Select your state and search safety training events in your area

Point to offerings from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration:

• Crash data and safety tips for older drivers
• Information on driving with medical conditions
• Guidance for caregivers
• Educational videos and resources

As older adults are expected to outnumber children by 2034, it’s time to reimagine safety for seniors – at home, at work and on the road.