Olympia, WA – The Washington State Patrol and Washington Traffic Safety Commission want to
remind everyone using the roadways this holiday season that safe roads come down to good
decisions. Impaired driving, driving too fast, driving distracted, and not wearing your seatbelts are
bad decisions that cost lives every year.
We all want the holidays to be about good times and good cheer, but in 2023, of the 810 people who
died on our roadways, 78 were killed during the holiday season. That’s unacceptable. Help us save
lives during the holidays and eliminate these avoidable tragedies.
Please do your part. Make these good decisions every time you get behind the wheel:
- NEVER… EVER… DRIVE IMPAIRED and NEVER … EVER… LET YOUR FRIENDS OR
FAMILY DRIVE IMPAIRED. 51% of our roadway fatalities in 2023 involved an impaired
driver. Designate a sober driver, call a ride-share, use public transportation, or stay over
rather than trying to drive home. Take those keys away from your impaired loved one and do
whatever you can to keep an impaired driver off the road. You might save a life… or two… - SLOW DOWN. Winter weather and high speeds don’t mix. Always know the speed limit and
drive at a speed appropriate to the conditions. And yes, that means sometimes you need to
drive below the speed limit to match the road conditions! Excessive speed played a part in
33% of 2023 fatalities. Speeding is a choice… and it’s a bad one. - PAY ATTENTION. Keep your eyes on the road, your hands on the wheel, and your phone in
your pocket or glove compartment while driving. Set the GPS, stereo system, and temperature
controls BEFORE driving, not while driving. Distracted driving played a part in 17% of last
year’s fatalities. - And let’s not forget to ‘Be Good for Goodness Sakes.’ BUCKLE UP! Seatbelts have been
standard equipment in cars and saving lives for over 75 years now. Yet, at least 172 of the
810 people who died on our state’s highways last year were not wearing their seatbelt.
Please, make good decisions. We really do want everybody to get home safe for the holidays this
year. That includes you, everyone you know and love, and every stranger you meet.
We are all in this together, so let’s make good choices and enjoy a safe and happy holiday season!