Celebrate New Year’s Eve Safely: Don’t Drink and Drive

Ringing in the New Year with a glass or two of champagne sounds harmless enough until it’s time to drive home.

If you’re planning on drinking this New Year’s, make sure you have a plan to get home safely. Even better, offer to be the designated driver for those in your party!


Facts about Drunk Driving in Maryland:

  • • Approximately 150 people are killed every year in crashes involving a drunk driver. That figure is even higher when factoring in drivers impaired by drugs.
  • • Impaired driving is a factor in nearly one third of all traffic fatalities in Maryland.
  • • More than 22,000 arrests are made for impaired driving in Maryland every year. That’s an average of more than 60 arrests per day.
  • • Drunk and drugged driving is completely preventable. Make a plan for a safe and sober ride.

Maryland’s DUI Laws

  • • Driving while intoxicated (DWI) is the top alcohol infraction in Maryland. It means, among other things, that your blood alcohol concentration (BAC) is at a level of .08% or higher.
  • • Driving under the influence (DUI) means that your BAC is .07%. A driver can be charged and convicted with driving while impaired at lower levels.
  • • Both infractions may result in points against your license, loss of license, large monetary fines, jail time, attorney and court costs, among other penalties.
  • • Important changes to Maryland’s drunk driving laws went into effect on October 1, 2016. Changes include increased penalties and expansion of the Ignition Interlock Program. Click here for more information about the Drunk Driving Reduction Act of 2016 (Noah’s Law).
  • • For more information on Maryland’s DUI laws click here.

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