Enjoy the Holiday Safely

We would be remiss if we did not remind our readers to enjoy the holiday weekend, but to do so safely.

And specifically, we really mean only one thing: Do not drink and drive, nor allow friends and family members to do so.

The vast majority of Americans will have wonderful family get-togethers that will create memories that will last a lifetime.

However, for some, the stresses of the holiday season often express themselves in drinking too much, which in turn can lead to tragedies. Alcohol abuse by a family member by far is the biggest problem faced by many families, whether it is a son or daughter, mother or father, or brother or sister.

Intoxicated driving rates as one of the leading causes of accidental death in our society. More than 10,000 Americans die — and tens of thousands more are seriously injured — in auto accidents caused by impaired drivers every year.

All of us have a role not only in ensuring that we ourselves do not become one of those statistics, but also in preventing a friend or family member from becoming one.