Drive Sober or Pay the Price this 4th of July
NHTSA and the North Charleston Police Department urge drivers to avoid alcohol- and drug-impaired driving during the July 4th holiday, sharing recent fatality statistics and safety tips.
From 2020–2024 there were 2,719 total traffic fatalities during the Fourth of July holiday period, including 1,724 drivers killed; in 2024 alone 579 people died in holiday crashes. Of drivers in impaired-driving fatal collisions in 2024, 22% of males and 16% of females were drunk, 38% (654) of those drivers were drunk, and drivers aged 21–34 made up the highest share of drunk drivers among the 1,724 killed (47%). The NHTSA and North Charleston Police campaign "Drive Sober or Pay the Price" urges planning ahead—designate a sober driver, call a taxi, or use a rideshare—and warns motorists to expect increased law enforcement.