Steer Clear of Alcohol and Drugs When Driving

Alcohol-impaired driving remains one of the most significant dangers on our roadways — and driving under the influence of marijuana and medications is becoming more prevalent. Impaired driving not only endangers drivers and their passengers, but also other vehicles, bicyclists and pedestrians.

Drugs and alcohol negatively alter important brain functions you need for driving safely: judgment, motor skills, memory and reaction time. While reductions in impaired driving have been made over the last few decades, much more can be done to reduce alcohol and drug-related crashes, injuries and deaths.

AAA is committed to educating everyone about the dangers of substance-impaired driving. Through our research at the AAA Foundation, we are working to raise awareness and collaborate with safety stakeholders to reduce the impact of substance-impaired crashes.

To help you get to your destination safely, AAA urges you to follow these travel tips:

1. Your safety belt is your vehicle's best safety feature. Buckle up.
2. Don't drink or use drugs and drive. If you are planning to drink, have a designated driver or ride share service.
3. Have your vehicle serviced with a pre-trip vehicle inspection. 
4. Don't drive distracted. Keep your eyes on the road, hands on the wheel and mind on the task of driving. Visit AAA.com/DistractedDriving for additional details. 
5. Ensure you are well-rested before you get behind the wheel. Take a break every two hours and recruit a passenger to help, if possible. Drowsy driving can be just as dangerous as impaired driving.
6. Obey the speed limit.
7. Practice courtesy.

Drivers who find themselves stranded can reach AAA by calling or texting "HELP" to 1-800-AAA-HELP (it's a good idea to save this in your contacts), submitting a request via the web (bookmark in your favorites), or using the AAA mobile app (available on Google Play or in the App Store).