Submitted article

For the fourth year in a row, AAA Ohio stores will work to help curb drunk driving by holding Holiday Happy Hours aimed at encouraging Ohioans to celebrate responsibly this holiday season. The Bucyrus AAA store is one of the 25 participating locations.

At 9 a.m. on Monday, Dec. 15 local residents are invited to attend Holiday Happy Hour at the Bucyrus AAA store, 314 South Sandusky Ave., Bucyrus.

Drunk driving remains a major public safety concern. Last year alcohol contributed to 12,137 crashes and 300 deaths on Ohio’s roads, including 37 crashes in Crawford County, according to Ohio Department of Public Safety crash data.

Across the country, about one-third of all motor vehicle deaths involve an alcohol-impaired driver. Which means, on average, an alcohol-impaired driving death occurs every 45 minutes (PreventDUI.AAA.com).

AAA’s Holiday Happy Hour events aim to curb drunk driving by focusing on the important role that party hosts play in keeping their guests safe by offering non-alcoholic drink options during holiday celebrations.

On Dec. 15, Bucyrus AAA store associates will create non-alcoholic cocktails, or mocktails. Local residents are invited to come in, sample these mocktails and vote on their favorite. A couple of the store’s planned mocktails include Mocha Punch and Creamsicle Punch.

Recipes for these mocktails, along with “First a Friend, Then a Host” recipe books, will be available for people to take and use at their holiday gatherings. Guests will also receive important safety messages about the dangers of drunk driving.

A complete list of participating stores can be found at AAA.com/Celebrate.

Drunk Driving Prevention Tips:

AAA offers several tips to keep motorists and others safe this holiday season:

    • Plan ahead – Choose a designated non-drinking driver before any holiday celebration.
    • Don’t drink and drive – NEVER get behind the wheel of a car when you’ve been drinking.
    • Be a real friend – Don’t let friends and family drive drunk.
    • Host responsibly – Remind guests to stay safe and offer non-alcoholic beverages.

As North America’s largest motoring and leisure travel organization, AAA provides more than 54 million members with travel-, insurance-, financial- and automotive-related services. Since its founding in 1902, the not-for-profit, fully tax-paying AAA has been a leader and advocate for the safety and security of all travelers. AAA clubs can be visited online at AAA.com.