Say you are driving along and someone coming toward you swerves left of the center line and into the path of your car.

Maybe you are driving through an intersection. A car blows through the light on your left, against a red light, because the driver is so busy with a cell phone or adjusting a radio station or heater or air conditioning. In these times when marijuana has been legalized, some people think that means it’s OK to use and drive. When you are on the highway, you have no idea what condition the other driver is in, but you want to believe everyone respects each other enough to not drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Or are you sometimes the driver who is doing such things?

“Driving impaired by any substance — alcohol or drugs, whether legal or illegal — is against the law in all 50 states and the District of Columbia,” advises the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. “Even in states where marijuana laws have changed, it is still illegal to drive under the influence of the drug. Prescription and over-the-counter medications can also impair one’s ability to drive safely, and driving under their influence is illegal.”

The goal: keeping each other safe. Is there a more precious gift?

Every day 28 people die in drunk driving crashes in the United States. These are preventable deaths. And buzzed driving is drunk driving. These are documented facts. And until Covid disease came into the picture, the number of crash fatalities related to drunk driving was declining.

“The brain is a complex organ that controls thought, memory, emotion, touch, motor skills, vision, breathing, temperature, hunger and every process that regulates our body,” advises Johns Hopkins Medicine. “Together, the brain and spinal cord that extends from it make up the central nervous system.”

Alcohol slows the brain’s ability to think and reason, and affects coordination. These are essential skills for driving a vehicle safely.

Charges for impaired driving can range from misdemeanors to felony offenses. The penalties can include losing your driver’s license to jail time and fines. A first-time offense can cost the driver $10,000 in fines and legal fees. And many states now require offenders to install ignition interlock devices at the driver’s own expense. The interlock device is a breath test device that is connected to the ignition. If the blood alcohol content (BAC) is .02 or more, the engine will not start.

With the festivities of the holidays, there are many parties planned. Don’t drink and drive. Designated drivers are a must. If you know someone has been drinking, don’t let them get into that driver’s seat. Take the keys and help them find another way home. Call a taxi or ride-hailing service or a sober friend, but don’t drink and drive. Hosts should make sure all guests leave with a sober driver. And always, always, wear your seatbelt. “It’s your best defense against impaired drivers,” NHTSA recommends.

The annual Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign is under way now through Jan. 1. Expect to see more law enforcement out there protecting drivers and passengers through this time, which historically is one of the deadliest times of the year on U.S. roads.

Have a memorable holiday season.

Addiction has no address, but Family Recovery Center does. For more information about the education, prevention and treatment programs for substance abuse and related behavioral issues, contact the agency at 964 N. Market St., Lisbon; phone, 330-424-1468; or email, info@familyrecovery.org. Visit the website at familyrecovery.org. FRC is funded in part by Columbiana County Mental Health and Recovery Services Board.