As Americans get ready for the holidays, many are headed to round after round of parties and get-togethers. And that comes with a dark side.
A new report from Insurance Canopy found that during the holidays, 1 in 5 Americans admit that they drink and drive.
The discovery comes as the holidays remain a major time for DUIs. The day before Thanksgiving is known as “Blackout Wednesday” or “Drinksgiving.”
According to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in 2022, 35% of fatal car crashes on the day before Thanksgiving involved drunken drivers.
Before Thanksgiving, Mothers Against Drunk Driving called out the statistic, urging Americans to have better plans when it comes to their holiday drinking plans.
The findings from the report also found that younger generations tend to throw a few back more around the holidays, with 65% of Gen Z saying they drink more compared to 55% of all respondents.
Almost 80% of Gen Z respondents say that their favorite way to drink during the holidays is with drinking games. Around 60% said they prefer to drink at holiday work parties.
While the day before Thanksgiving is known to be a big day for drinking, 10% of Americans also let loose on Christmas as they admit to having 6 or more drinks. Men are also two times as likely to have that many drinks compared to women.
Even though the holidays are a time to get together with loved ones, alcohol has caused a fight for nearly 1 in 4 millennials, according to the survey. Millennials were also found to spend the most on alcohol-fueled celebrations.
Still, we aren’t in a shameless society just yet, as more than half of all respondents said they regret their holiday drinking habits.
The survey included responses from 1,000 adults from across the country.