As a parent, you probably do everything possible to keep your children safe in the car. You use safety seats, insist they use seat belts and buy the safest vehicle you can. However, it is not possible to protect your children completely against all dangers on the road.
Whether you or your child is behind the wheel, you have no way to protect your child from the ever-present risk of drunk drivers.
Statistics
Drunk driving is a serious issue that claims the lives of innocent people every year at an alarming rate. Even one death due to an intoxicated driver is too many. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in 2018 there were 231 deaths of those under the age of 14 attributed to alcohol-related accidents in the U.S. The majority of these deaths were due to the victim being in a vehicle with a drunk driver, but there were still about 44% where they were not.
Most dangerous times
The most dangerous time of day for alcohol-related crashes is after dark. Think about those times in the fall and winter when it gets dark early, yet you are still running your kids to and from school activities. This is a high-risk time.
Accidents happen every day of the week, but weekends are more dangerous. This coincides with many school-related activities, too. It is difficult to completely protect your child when the weekend is a time that they are most likely to be in a vehicle and on the roads.
Your children’s safety
The best way to keep your kids safe is to join the fight against drunk driving. Teach your children never to drive if they have been drinking and never to ride in a vehicle with someone who has been drinking. Support local efforts to stop people from drinking and driving, and make it clear such behavior is not acceptable in your community.