Driving on the Holiday Weekend? Stay Safe!

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Ad Council remind everyone that the best way to stay safe on the roads this weekend is to plan ahead. That includes:

• Plan a safe way home before the festivities begin
• Before drinking, designate a sober driver and leave your car keys at home
• If you’re impaired, use a taxi, call a sober friend or family member, or use public transportation so you are sure to get home safely
• Use your community’s sober ride program
• If you happen to see a drunk driver on the road, don’t hesitate to contact your local law enforcement
• Remember, Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving. If you know people who are about to drive or ride with someone who is impaired, take the driver’s keys and help them make other arrangements to get to where they are going safely.

The organizations ask that everyone help get the word out and have created a Facebook page for "Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving." Visitors to the page can sign a pledge not to drink and drive, play “Spot the Difference,” an interactive game that simulates the effects of buzzed driving and watch a real-life video about how buzzed driving changed one woman’s life.

The NHTSA offers these additional resources:

• Designated Driver Drink List: One of the most important things you can do before going out is designate a sober driver. If you’re throwing a party, make sure to offer non-alcoholic drinks for the sober drivers.
• Alternative Ride Locator: A list of nationwide alternative ride programs
• Fun holiday-themed posters are available to share on blogs or Facebook pages to encourage family and friends to stay safe.

Missouri Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) offers the following advice about what to do if you see a drunk driver:

• First, stay as far away from the other vehicle as possible. 
• Second, do not try to pass the vehicle or signal the driver to pull over. Doing so could result in a collision.
• Third, take notice of the license plate number of the driver along with details of the vehicle including make, model and color. However, make sure you don’t compromise your own safety trying to obtain this information.
• Finally, pull over and call 911. Give the exact location of the vehicle, including the name of the road or cross streets and the direction the vehicle is traveling. Give a complete description of the vehicle and the manner in which the vehicle is being driven.

The Missouri Department of Transportation reports that they will halt all work zones beginning at noon Friday, December 30. Work zones will resume on Tuesday, January 3 at 9 a.m. Traffic will continue to be restricted in areas where there are permanent barriers. Crews may continue to work on sections of roadway closed to the public (such as the Route 141 construction in St. Louis). If required, crews will also close lanes where needed for emergency maintenance.

Motorists should be aware of the following on-going closures:

• I-70, St. Louis city, right lane on eastbound I-70 closed from St. Louis Avenue to Broadway until summer 2012.
• I-70, St. Louis city, the ramp from eastbound I-70 to 10th Street has permanently closed.
• Grand Blvd, St. Louis city, closed from I-64 to Chouteau by St. Louis city until mid 2012.