Drunk Driving Deaths Lead to NHTSA Holiday ‘Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over’ Campaign

Annual campaign aims to further reduce drunk driving fatalities, following a 6% decline between January and September 2025 compared with the same period last year.

Federal officials have launched a nationwide holiday campaign to raise awareness about the dangers of driving under the influence of alcohol.

The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign on December 9, which will run from December 12, 2025 through January 1, 2026.

Driving under the influence of alcohol is dangerous because it slows reaction time, weakens judgment and reduces coordination. These effects make it harder to recognize hazards and control a vehicle, greatly increasing the risk of crashes, injuries and fatalities.

According to NHTSA data, alcohol-impaired driving is a leading cause of fatal traffic accidents in the U.S. In 2023, one person died every 42 minutes in an alcohol-impaired driving crash, resulting in 12,429 deaths, which accounted for nearly one third of all traffic fatalities nationwide.

However, a new early estimate report states road fatalities decreased by about 6.4% in the first 9 months of 2025, compared to the same period in 2024, despite Americans driving 25 billion more miles. 

From January to September 2025, NHTSA researchers project that 27,365 people died in traffic crashes, compared to 29,245 fatalities for the same months in 2024.

This decrease marks the lowest number of road fatalities since 2019. To continue this progress, the annual “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign aims to address drunk and impaired driving during the holidays, including an increase in law enforcement efforts.

“This holiday season, we encourage everyone to plan ahead for a sober ride and do their part to help make our roads safe for Americans.”

— Jonathan Morrison, NHTSA Administrator

Federal officials are reminding the public that staying sober means avoiding drugs as well. Substances like cannabis can impair a person’s ability to drive safely, leading to slower reaction times, reduced cognitive function and difficulty maintaining lane control.

NHTSA urges everyone to plan ahead and never drive after drinking or using any impairing substance. Instead, designate a sober driver or employ a ride-hailing service or taxi to ensure safe travels. If someone sees an impaired driver on the road, they should call 911.

Holiday Traffic Deaths

Traffic deaths and impaired-driving incidents often increase during holiday periods, when friends and family are celebrating and traveling.

Over the 2022 Thanksgiving holiday, more than 300 people were killed in auto accidents, while between 2018 and 2022, at least 833 people died in drunk-driving crashes over Thanksgiving weekend.

In addition, NHTSA data from the 2024 Christmas season showed that drunk-driving deaths had reached a 15-year high.

The Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign also ran in August during the Labor Day holiday, following findings that one-third of all fatal traffic crashes in 2023 involved alcohol.

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