The Delphi Police Department has released a traffic tip for community members to remain vigilant during the Thanksgiving holiday season beginning today, Wednesday, Nov. 27, which has been deemed “Blackout Wednesday,” “Drinksgiving” or “Thanksgiving Eve.”
The department stated that regardless of the name of the informal holiday before Thanksgiving, the Wednesday night before Thanksgiving reportedly sees a heightened presence at bars across the nation. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, “in 2022, 100 drivers were involved in fatal traffic crashes on Thanksgiving Eve–35% of those drivers were drunk.”
The association continued to state that community members should avoid drinking on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, or at least avoid driving if they partake in the consumption of alcohol.
“Thanksgiving usually means spending quality times with loved ones, feeling grateful and, of course, food and drinks,” the association released. “From 2018-2022, 833 people were killed in drunk driving crashes during the Thanksgiving holiday.”
The Delphi Police Department, Indiana State Police and other local departments have pledged to have extra manpower on the road for Blackout Wednesday tonight in hopes to avoid drunk driving-related crashes. The department requested for community members celebrating “Blackout Wednesday” to arrange a ride home ahead of time.
– Photo courtesy of DPD