Statistics show hard impact
of drunk and drugged driving
By linda denicola
Staff Writer
FREEHOLD TOWNSHIP — Statistics that illustrate the dangers of drunk and drugged driving were cited to support a Township Committee proclamation that recognized December as National Drunk and Drugged Driving Prevention Month.
In comments at a recent meeting of the governing body, Committeeman Raymond Kershaw urged everyone to heed the numbers and what they mean.
According to the proclamation offered by the committee: nationwide, 17,448 people were killed and more than 275,000 people were injured as a result of alcohol-related crashes in a recent year. That equates to one death every 30 minutes and one person injured every two minutes at a cost to society of $150 billion annually.
Americans face a 30 percent chance of being killed or injured by an impaired driver during their lifetime. Alcohol-related accidents are the greatest single cause of death for every age from 6 to 33 in the United States, according to the figures cited.
During a typical weekend, an average of one teenager dies each hour in a car crash, with nearly 50 percent of the accidents involving alcohol and 55 percent of the accidents occurring between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration identified 21- to 34-year-olds and underage drivers between 15 and 20 years old as the highest risk populations.
Kershaw presented the committee’s proclamation to George Long, Freehold Community Alliance to Prevent Alcoholism and Drug Abuse coordinator.
The local alliance is part of a statewide organization of municipal alliances that seeks to prevent alcoholism and drug abuse. Freehold’s municipal alliance is a coalition of the Freehold Township and Freehold Borough K-8 school districts, the Freehold Community Counseling Service, the Freehold Regional High School District, the Freehold Township and Freehold Borough police departments, the Township Committee in Freehold Township Committee and the Borough Council in Freehold Borough. It also includes local clergy, civic and social associations, and other community minded and concerned citizens.
Primary funding is derived from the Drug Enforcement Demand Reduction Fund, which is comprised of fines levied on convicted drug offenders. Partial funding is provided by the Governors Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse.
The majority of the Freehold alliance’s activities are supported by grants and fund-raising activities. In addition, the governing bodies of Freehold Township and Freehold Borough support the activities of the alliance with funding in their municipal budgets.
The goals of the alliance are to reduce community acceptance of illegal alcohol, tobacco and other drugs; decrease teen vandalism and criminal mischief incidents; reduce antisocial behavior by preteens and teens; reduce incidents of family management problems; stem anger and promote tolerance of others; and remove the threat of weapons.
For further information and sponsorship opportunities, all of which will help support the Freehold Community Alliance to Prevent Alcoholism and Drug Abuse, call (732) 409-6260.