However, have you recently been in a fender bender? Did someone hit your car at the grocery store and drive off without so much as a note? A good services like Madison auto collision will gladly assess your car’s damage and offer you repair options that will save you money!

When you are “just buzzed” your vision and reflexes are impaired thus making a buzzed driver a hazard on the road. Last year in fresno, more than 250 people died in alcohol-impaired driving crashes during the Christmas and New Year’s holiday periods. I don’t want you to be one of them. Personally, I choose not to drink alcohol at all but I know that many of you do. Please, if you are going to drink make a plan. Take the pledge, designate a non-drinking driver or plan for alternative transportation.

If you are hosting a holiday party, be a responsible host. Again….plan ahead to keep your guests safe. Here are a few things you can do to to plan a safe party,

• Don’t drink. As host, you need to be sober so that you can monitor your guest’s alcohol consumption.
• Offer plenty of non-alcoholic beverages. Here are some great drink recipes.
• Monitor the door. Make sure none of you guests who are buzzed or drunk get behind the wheel to prevent car accidents.
• Have phone numbers for the local taxi company handy so that you can call if a friend or family member needs a ride.

As we celebrate Christmas and ring in the New Year, please plan ahead to stay safe.

The post Drive Safe this Holiday Season appeared first on The Mom Maven.

While many of us focus on fireworks safety each Fourth of July, we also need to keep our roads safe for the drive home after the festivities.

Whether at a family picnic or viewing the local fireworks display, many of us will be on the road this Independence Day. It’s time to spread the word about the dangers of buzzed driving and to remind people that Buzzed Driving IS Drunk Driving, and the best way to stay safe is to plan ahead.

We need your help in keeping the roads safe for everyone this July Fourth by spreading the word that buzzed driving IS drunk driving.

There are four steps you should take to protect your loved ones on the Fourth of July.

1.) Designate a sober driver before you leave for your Fourth of July events.

2.) Be ready to take alternate transportation such as a bus or taxi.

3.) Have the phone number of a taxi service stored in your phone before you leave for the party.

4.) Call 9-1-1 if you see an impaired driver on the road.

Even if you will not be drinking alcoholic beverages this Fourth of July, keep in mind that over the course of 2008, 1,179 people in other vehicles were killed in crashes involving alcohol-impaired drivers. And there were a total of 491 motor vehicle traffic fatalities during the Fourth of July Holiday period (Thursday, July 3rd, 6 pm to Monday, July 7th, 5:59 am). And for those who say they don’t plan on over-indulging . . . a buzzed driving crash looks the same as a drunk driving crash.

The post Be Safe July 4th Weekend appeared first on The Mom Maven.

Are you headed out with friends after work this Wednesday to celebrate the holiday? No? Well when you and your family are on the road headed to choir practice, a t-ball game, or coming home from school, you may be sharing the road with those returning from a fun St. Patrick?s Day event. It’s time to spread the word about the dangers of buzzed driving and to remind people that Buzzed Driving IS Drunk Driving, and the best way to stay safe is to plan ahead.

Let’s remind everyone about the importance of remembering to:

• Designate a sober driver before you leave for your event.
• Be ready to take alternate transportation such as a bus or taxi. Have the phone number of a taxi service stored in your phone before you leave for the party.

Even if you will not be celebrating this St. Patrick’s Day, keep in mind that in 2008, 1,179 people in other vehicles were killed in crashes involving alcohol-impaired drivers. And for those who don’t plan on over-indulging a buzzed driving crash looks the same as a drunk driving crash.

Global Influence is working with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Ad Council as they continue their efforts with the “Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving”  PSA campaign. Buzzed drivers drink and drive, but do not consider themselves a hazard on the roadway because they have had “only a few” drinks. The campaign hopes to educate people that consuming even a few drinks can impair driving and that “Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving.”

We need your help in keeping the roads safe for everyone this St. Patrick’s Day by spreading the word that buzzed driving IS drunk driving.

To learn more about the impact buzzed driving can have on a life, please watch this important video about the financial and personal repercussions of getting a DUI: http://buzzeddriving.adcouncil.org/sign.php#video

Remember: Buzzed Driving IS Drunk Driving. Plan ahead and ask your loved ones to do the same.

For more information, visit Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving on Facebook and Twitter @Buzzeddriving.

The post Plan Ahead and Stay Safe this St Patrick’s Day appeared first on The Mom Maven.

While you may not be thinking about the dangers of buzzed driving this time of year, you or someone you know will likely be attending a party where alcohol is served. So whether you’re rooting for the Colts or the Saints, there are some things you need to know to keep yourself and your loved ones safe before, during and after Super Bowl XLIV.

When you’re heading out to a party or hosting guests, remember to always plan ahead:

Designate a sober driver or be prepared to find a safe ride home for your guests

Be ready to take alternate transportation such as a bus or taxi. Have the phone number of a taxi service stored in your phone before you leave for the party.

In 2008, 11,773 people were killed in alcohol-impaired driving crashes.

I’m working with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Ad Council as they continue their efforts with the “Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving” PSA campaign. Buzzed drivers are those who drink and drive, but do not consider themselves a hazard on the roadway because “only a few” drinks are consumed. The campaign hopes to educate people that consuming even one drink too many can impair driving and that “Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving.” So even if you are planning on staying home Super Bowl weekend, please remind your loved ones that buzzed driving IS drunk driving.

To learn more about the impact buzzed driving can have on a life, please watch this important video about the financial and personal repercussions of getting a DUI.

Remember: Buzzed Driving IS Drunk Driving. Plan ahead and ask your loved ones to do the same.

For more information, visit Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving on Facebook and Twitter.

The post Have a Safe Super Bowl Celebration appeared first on The Mom Maven.

Please designate a sober driver before you head out.

The post A Friendly Reminder from Mom… appeared first on The Mom Maven.

It’s holiday party season – time to celebrate all of the exciting winter holidays with our friends and loved ones. Our mailboxes are flooded with invitations to parties and dinners and other holiday get-togethers. With these parties come food, fellowship, gifts, and in many cases, festive alcoholic drinks.

In 2008, nearly 12,000 people in the U.S. were killed in alcohol-impaired driving crashes – and during the periods around Christmas and New Year’s, this number was particularly high, with 316 people killed in alchol-impaired driving crashes. In 2007, 162,493 women were arrested for a DUI, an increase of almost 29% since 1998. You can’t help but wonder if lives could have been saved if people thought twice before getting behind the wheel. With the holidays approaching, it’s important that drivers be reminded about the dangers of buzzed driving. Who knows…it could save a life.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHSTA) and the Ad Council are asking everyone to drive smart this holiday season and to pledge not to drive buzzed. To learn more about what you can do to prevent Buzzed Driving follow Buzzed Driving on Twitter and Facebook. You can also visit the Buzzed Driving website where you can sign a pledge to not drive buzzed, play an interactive game which demonstrates the difference between buzzed and drunk, and hear personal stories from people who have driven buzzed.

Join us Tuesday, December 15th from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. EST for a sobering discussion about #BuzzedDriving on Twitter.

While at holiday events, it’s easy to lose track of a drink here or there – but this can be fatal. This holiday season, keep you and your family safe by spreading this message. I don’t drink alcohol so I know I won’t be driving buzzed this holiday season. I hope you won’t either. Have a safe and happy holiday and remember that buzzed driving IS drunk driving.

The post Buzzed Driving appeared first on The Mom Maven.