Stay Safe This Thanksgiving: Don’t Drink and Drive Urges the Michigan Liquor Control Commission

MLCC Commissioners Gagliardi, Olshove, Beltzer, Toma and Gonzales wish all Michiganders a safe and Happy Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving Eve is the biggest bar night of the year, often involving heavy alcohol consumption as friends and families gather for the holiday. It is also one of the deadliest nights on Michigan roads.

The Michigan Liquor Control Commission (MLCC) is urging everyone to celebrate Thanksgiving responsibly by not binge drinking, not drinking and driving, and planning ahead to get a safe ride home.

“It’s never OK to drink and drive as it’s not only illegal, it’s deadly, and no one should ever take that risk,” said MLCC Chair Pat Gagliardi. “Even if you’ve only had one drink, if you feel different, you drive different.”

For those who choose to drink and need a safe ride home, there are an abundance of transportation options to make it easier to not drive drunk. Rideshare services such as Lyft and Uber can be booked through phone apps, and local taxicab operators are also just a phone call away giving people no excuse to make the wrong decision.

The MLCC offers consumers these important reminders to help ensure a safe Thanksgiving holiday weekend: 

• Never feel pressured to drink or over-indulge with alcohol at social gatherings; it is okay to decline without providing a reason.
• If you do plan to drink, plan a safe way home before you leave the house; choose a non-drinking friend as a designated driver or use a ride-sharing app. Once you start drinking you likely won’t make good decisions.
• If you see a drunk driver on the road, call 911 to reach law enforcement.
• Have a friend who is about to drink and drive? Take the keys away and make arrangements to get your friend home safely.

Driving while impaired is a growing problem in Michigan. According to the 2021 Michigan Annual Drunk Driving Audit issued in July 2022, approximately 44.7 percent of the total fatal crashes involved alcohol and drugs. This is an increase from 41.8 percent in 2021. 

During the Thanksgiving holiday period (6 p.m. Wednesday to 5:59 a.m. Monday), more than 800 people died in alcohol-impaired-driving crashes from 2015 to 2019, making it one of the deadliest holidays, according to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The MLCC joins with NHTSA to remind Michiganders that Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving. For more information, visit www.nhtsa.gov/risky-driving/drunk-driving.