Avoid risky driving

The Greenville Police Department (GPD) wants to remind everyone ahead of New Year’s Eve to drive safe.  

Avoid drunken driving while going to and from a party this weekend. But any form of impaired driving—including driving while drowsy or on medication — can be hazardous to your safety and that of others on the road.  

“You need to have an awareness on the road. If you’re distracted or drug impaired, even if it’s an over-the-counter drug, that can impact your ability to respond to what’s going on,” says Frances Moore, GPD’s Public Safety Communications Manager. 

According to the National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the top risky driving practices are: 

• Drunk driving. Keep this in mind for your next holiday party or get-together. 
• Drug-impaired driving. With colds and flu’s happening in the wintertime, know that over-the-counter and prescribed medicines can also impair your driving ability.  
• Lack of seat belts. Use them, they save lives. 
• Speeding. Avoid speeding, and make sure to yield when required.  
• Distracted driving. Texting while driving leads to accidents.  
• Drowsy driving. Avoid driving while sleep-deprived or drowsy — it can be just as deadly as drunk driving. On long drives, take a break to stretch every 45 to 60 minutes. Drivers are the drowsiest from midnight to 6 a.m., as well as late afternoons.