“Tree of Life” Remembers 1,453 North Carolina Car Accident Victims that Died in 2008 as State Troopers Get Ready for "Booze It & Lose It” Campaign
On December 4, the Governor’s Highway Safety Program presented the “Tree of Life,” which is dedicated to the people that were killed in North Carolina car accidents in 2008. The tree stands on the State Capitol lawn in Raleigh and is decorated with 1,453 lights. 440 of the lights are red to note the people that were killed by drunk drivers.
Friday also marked the beginning of North Carolina’s “Booze It & Lose It” campaign, which runs until January 3, 2010 and targets drunk drivers. Throughout the US this holiday season, federal and local safety and enforcement officials will be participating in similar initiatives to prevent drunk driving accidents.
On Monday, US Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood reminded drivers that there is nothing wrong with having fun as long as you don’t drive when you are drunk. While the national drunken driving rate dropped 7% between 2007 and 2008, too many people are still getting killed in drunk driving accidents.
Drunk driving accidents are preventable.
Nationwide, the drunk driving campaign “Over the Limit. Under Arrest” began yesterday and runs through the holiday season. Some $7 million in national radio and TV ads will air from December 16, 2009 – January 7, 2010 to remind people not to drive while impaired.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there were:
• Out of the 1,231 North Carolina motor vehicle deaths in 2008, 423 of the North Carolina car accident victims died in collisions involving alcohol-impaired motorists.
• 1,676 North Carolina traffic deaths in 2007.
• 497 2007 North Carolina car accidents deaths involving drunk drivers.
• 403 South Carolina drunk driving fatalities in 2008.
• 920 2008 South Carolina car accident deaths.
• 403 South Carolina drunk driving fatalities in 2008.
• 464 South Carolina drunk driving fatalities in 2007.
• 1,077 2007 South Carolina car accident deaths.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood Announces Intensive Holiday Drunk & Impaired Driving Crackdown & Advertising Blitz, NHTSA, December 7, 2009
Drunken driving fatalities down 7% in USA, USA Today, December 7, 2009
Related Web Resources:
Fatalities and Fatality Rates in Alcohol- Impaired-Driving Crashes by State, 2007-2008, NHTSA (PDF)
Governor’s Highway Safety Program
