Koon's Watch

No one wants to be a Grinch during the holidays, but drunk driving is no joke.

Instances of drunk driving increase during the holidays. More people are attending parties and festivities and then driving home.

Every day, 29 people in the United States die in motor vehicle crashes that involve an alcohol-impaired driver, according to the CDC

That is 1 death every 50 minutes.

This holiday season, we’re teaming up with the US Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to remind all drivers about the dangers of drinking and driving.

As you head out for a night of merry-making, remember: Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving.

Plan ahead for a sober ride home. If you plan to be someone else’s designated driver, commit to not drinking.

Your friends are relying on you.

Too many people take to the roadways after consuming alcohol because they think they are “okay to drive.”

They may think they’ve had enough to eat, enough water to drink, or that their weight may factor into the equation. But these are inaccurate ways of measuring whether you are safe to drive.

Party with a plan

Before ringing in the new year, we urge you to designate a sober driver before you start drinking. If you plan on drinking at all, plan on not driving.

Be honest with yourself - you know whether you’ll be drinking or not.

Hire a ride service like Uber, Lyft or a taxi if your whole crew is drinking.

If you see a drunk driver on the road, dial *HP.

Is your friend about to drink and drive? Take the keys away and make arrangements to get them home safely.

You could save their life.