It’s a familiar December scene: your kids pile into the car after their school concert, still humming songs and clutching sticky crafts. Or maybe you’re leaving a friend’s holiday dinner, coat zipped up against the cold, and the faint sound of laughter still trailing behind you. Or perhaps you’re on the highway, heading to your hometown for the first big family gathering of the season.
In these moments, we all want to feel wrapped in safety, peace, and joy, with the kind of holiday memories you can replay for years, not the kind that follow you forever.
Every year, though, families across the United States face the unthinkable. A single impaired-driving incident turns celebration into heartbreak. A phone rings. A siren wails. A chair stays empty.
We want to keep ourselves and the people we love safe year-round but during National Impaired Driving Prevention Month, we give special focus to promoting safe driving practices during the holiday season.
The Hidden Threat That Follows Holiday Lights
The holidays may involve a perfect mix of joy, stress, travel, and celebration, but they also bring a spike in impaired driving. Many people don’t notice how serious the danger is until they’re staring at statistics, or until something happens much closer to home.
In December 2023 alone, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported 1,038 deaths from impaired-driving crashes. Throughout the whole year, more than 12,000 families lost someone in a crash tied to alcohol or drug impairment. Those numbers don’t even capture the injuries, arrests, or lifelong emotional toll that impaired driving leaves behind.
“Impaired” doesn’t just mean alcohol anymore. Marijuana plays a growing role, especially among young adults. Prescription medications, such as anxiety drugs, sleep aids, and painkillers, can slow reaction time and cloud judgment, even when taken correctly. Many people don’t realize that mixing substances, like alcohol and marijuana, significantly increases impairment, even if each one is used in small amounts.
It’s not just the impaired driver who pays the price. Thousands of families around the country absorb fear, conflict, and tension. Parents lie awake imagining worst-case scenarios. Partners wonder how to confront someone without pushing them away. Teens and young adults feel pressure to seem mature, confident, or “in control” at all times.
Underneath all of this is a truth that feels almost too heavy to say out loud: No family should lose someone to something that is entirely preventable.
When Worry Turns into a Whisper: The Internal Struggle Families Don’t Talk About
If you’re honest, you may already know the feeling…
The quick glance at a loved one’s eyes when they say they’re “fine to drive”, the uneasy silence after a tense car ride, the pit in your stomach when you hear keys jangling after a party.
You want to trust them. You want to believe it’s “not that bad”. You want to avoid arguments, drama, or judgment.
But fear stays with you. And during the holidays, when emotions run high and alcohol flows freely, that fear can grow louder.
Many people don’t set out to be reckless. They could be lost in fun moments, catching up with friends and family. Maybe they are stressed. Lonely. Exhausted. Grieving. Overwhelmed. Some reach for alcohol or other substances to cope and convince themselves they’re still capable of making safe decisions.
Addictive substances change the user’s perception, coordination, and judgment, prompting them to do things they would otherwise not consider. When someone keeps driving impaired, even after close calls or arguments, it can be a sign of something deeper: addiction.
You Can Lean on Recovery Centers of America for Support
At Recovery Centers of America, we know the mix of fear, frustration, and love that families experience at this time of year. We’ve walked with nearly one hundred thousand families who felt the same way you do – worried, unsure, and trying to protect the people who matter most to them.
Maybe you’ve wondered whether you’re overreacting. Maybe your loved one has promised to “be more careful”. Perhaps you’ve been scared to bring up addiction treatment, afraid it will cause distance.
But we’ve seen how powerful it can be when someone takes the first step toward a healthier path.
We combine compassionate, personalized treatment with clinical expertise and measurement-driven care. RCA offers 24/7 admission, even during the holidays. Our programs include detox, residential treatment, outpatient care, MAT when clinically appropriate, case management, and family support. We understand substance use, relapse patterns and relapse prevention, impaired decision-making, and the emotional pressure that holidays bring. We also know the signs that someone needs help before things get worse.
A Safer Season Starts with a Plan
Knowing what to do and when to do it can make all the difference. Whether you’re trying to prevent impaired driving or wondering if it’s time to seek help for a loved one, this plan gives you the clarity and confidence to act before a crisis happens.
1) Understand the Reality of Impaired Driving
- 30% of all U.S. traffic deaths involve impaired driving.
- December’s fatal crashes spike due to a mix of holiday parties, emotional stress, and increased travel.
- Marijuana-related impaired driving is on the rise, especially among teens and young adults who may underestimate its effects.
- Prescription medications can impair driving, even when taken as directed.
Impairment isn’t always obvious, and many people don’t realize they’re putting themselves and others at risk until it’s too late.
2) Family Safety Steps
Preventing impaired driving starts with simple, proactive choices. Here’s how your family can stay safe this holiday season.
Plan the ride before the first drink or dose
Designate a sober driver, use a rideshare app, or arrange a pickup in advance.
Use “If/then” boundaries
For example, “If you plan to drink, then you’ll need to take a Lyft home.” Clear expectations can help prevent last-minute decisions.
Normalize refusing unsafe rides
Speak up. It’s OK to say, “I’m not comfortable getting in the car right now.”
Talk openly with teens and young adults
Explain how both alcohol and marijuana can affect judgment and reaction time. Make sure they know they can call you for a ride anytime.
Use local sober ride programs
Many communities offer free or discounted options during the holidays. Share them with your friends and family.
Small steps like these can prevent devastating outcomes, and they model responsible behavior for those around you.
3) Know When Impaired Driving Points to Addiction
Sometimes, impaired driving is more than a one-time lapse in judgment. It’s a red flag for something deeper. Ask yourself if you or a loved one is showing any of these signs:
- Frequent near-misses or dangerous driving situations.
- DUIs or repeated arrests related to alcohol or drugs.
- Using substances to cope with holiday stress or emotional pain.
- Driving while impaired despite knowing the risks.
If these patterns sound familiar, it may be time to consider professional help. These are not only risky behaviors but also warning signs of possible substance use disorder.
And the good news? Help is available, and it works. Calling for support now could prevent harm later.
Act Before a Crisis: Your Next Step Starts Here
If you’ve been worrying about someone’s substance use or their decisions behind the wheel, now is the time to reach out.
Call Recovery Centers of America today at 1-800-RECOVERY.
Your call is confidential, compassionate, and available 24/7.
Treatment works best when it starts early.
If you’re not ready for a call yet, that’s OK. Stay informed. Join one of our December support groups or webinars. Read more about warning signs, family boundaries, and treatment options. Sometimes, the right action is simply learning what steps to take next.
What Happens If Nothing Changes? The Risks You Can Prevent
It’s not easy to imagine the worst, but ignoring the signs carries its own risks. Without change, people may continue making dangerous decisions. Legal troubles can follow. Tension in your home can grow. Substance use can escalate quietly until it becomes much harder to manage.
Every day, we help families avoid outcomes they once felt powerless to stop.
Imagine a Safer December
A parent breathes easier because their young adult calls for a ride instead of risking it.
A spouse sets a boundary, and instead of a fight, it opens a door to a real conversation.
A family member admits they’ve been struggling and agrees to enter treatment before something terrifying happens.
A holiday gathering ends in peace and joy rather than fear.
These are some of the transformations we see every year. This December can be the month someone you love gets help and prevents impaired driving. Let this season be a turning point, not a breaking point.
Recovery Centers of America is here to help you make that happen.
Call 1-800-RECOVERY or register for free support groups or webinars.
