Drive Sober or Pay the Price this Fourth of July Weekend
NHTSA and North Charleston Police urge sober driving and warn of stepped-up enforcement and deadly holiday crash statistics.
The USDOT’s NHTSA and the North Charleston Police Department are urging drivers to “Drive Sober or Pay the Price” over the Fourth of July weekend, highlighting increased enforcement and the dangers of alcohol- and drug-impaired driving. From 2020–2024 there were 2,719 traffic fatalities during the holiday period, including 1,724 drivers killed; in 2024 alone 579 people died. In 2024, 38% (654) of drivers in impaired-driving fatal collisions were drunk, with males 22% versus females 16%, and the 21–34 age group accounting for the highest share of drunk drivers (47%); drivers are encouraged to plan for a sober ride home via a designated driver, taxi, or rideshare.