ODOT plea before deadliest holiday weekend: Drive sober

Over the past five years in Oregon, 38 people have died in crashes over the 4 th of July holiday – and 23 of those deaths were from crashes involving alcohol, the Oregon Department of Transportation reported Tuesday as it issued a familiar plea for motorists: Please, please drive sober.

“t’s a tragic way to mark the country’s independence, and perhaps the saddest part is that it doesn’t have to happen,” the agency said in its pre-holiday message, which continues below:

If you get behind the wheel of a car when you are impaired – whether by alcohol, marijuana, prescriptions or illegal drugs – you are making a choice that could end someone’s life, including your own. Don’t do it. Instead, consider these tips from safety advocates:

Get a ride. With all kinds of ride-sharing options, get one or more apps on your phone or program in some alternatives so you can easily get a ride. Going to an event? Check out our new, online ride-sharing service, Get There, to arrange safe, sober travels. Hosting a party? Offer plenty of non-alcoholic beverages and lots of snacks. Remove the alcoholic beverages several hours before the gathering end-time. If someone has been drinking and is about to drive, take the keys away and make arrangements to get your friend home safely. “A crash is no accident,” ODOT said. “Make a smart choice and celebrate safely.”