[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 233 (Wednesday, December 4, 2019)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 66283-66284]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-26284]


 
 
                         Presidential Documents 
 
 

  Federal Register / Vol. 84 , No. 233 / Wednesday, December 4, 2019 / 
Presidential Documents  

[[Page 66283]]


                Proclamation 9969 of November 27, 2019

                
National Impaired Driving Prevention Month, 2019

                By the President of the United States of America

                A Proclamation

                Every day, lives are shattered and lost on our Nation's 
                roadways as a result of alcohol, drugs, and distracted 
                driving. The statistics are alarming: In 2018, impaired 
                driving took more than 10,000 lives in the United 
                States--almost 30 of our fellow Americans each day. 
                During National Impaired Driving Prevention Month, we 
                reaffirm our commitment to preventing tragedies from 
                impaired driving by making the responsible decision to 
                drive sober. We also remember the victims of impaired 
                driving, pray for the grieving families of those whose 
                lives have been taken, and honor the law enforcement 
                professionals who work to keep our roads safe.

                Irresponsible and impulsive choices that interfere with 
                the ability to drive can irrevocably destroy hopes, 
                dreams, and families. The influence of alcohol, illicit 
                drugs, and some over-the-counter and prescription 
                medications diminishes judgment, negatively impacts 
                motor coordination, and decreases reaction time 
                necessary to safely operate a motor vehicle. Innocent 
                drivers, passengers, cyclists, and pedestrians are 
                endangered when impaired individuals get behind the 
                wheel. We can and must prevent this senseless loss of 
                life and property.

                My Administration will continue to raise awareness 
                nationwide of the importance of personal responsibility 
                and the dangers of driving while impaired by alcohol or 
                other drugs, including marijuana, opioids, and certain 
                medications. Since the first day of my Administration, 
                addressing substance use disorder and helping the 
                millions of Americans affected by addiction find 
                pathways to recovery have been high priorities. We 
                support health professionals treating Americans 
                struggling with substance use disorder and faith-based 
                and non-profit organizations that address this critical 
                issue through outreach and support of individuals 
                seeking recovery. By eliminating unnecessary and 
                burdensome regulations, we are supporting the creation 
                of innovative technologies that help to reduce impaired 
                driving on our roads, such as ride-sharing services and 
                Advanced Vehicle Technology. Additionally, we are 
                improving data collection and toxicology practices and 
                continuing to provide vital resources to our Nation's 
                law enforcement officers and public safety 
                professionals, bolstering their efforts to reduce the 
                number of crashes, injuries, and fatalities caused by 
                impaired driving.

                Our Nation has lost too many lives to substance use, 
                yet every day impaired drivers recklessly put others 
                and themselves at risk. Driving sober is non-
                negotiable. This holiday season, and every day, I urge 
                all Americans to choose wisely, act responsibly, drive 
                sober, and implore friends and loved ones not to get 
                behind the wheel while impaired. We must all commit to 
                confronting this careless behavior, which inflicts 
                unnecessary suffering and senseless loss, stealing the 
                lives of our fellow Americans.

                NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the 
                United States of America, by virtue of the authority 
                vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the 
                United States, do hereby proclaim December 2019 as 
                National Impaired Driving Prevention Month. I urge all 
                Americans to make responsible decisions and take 
                appropriate measures to prevent impaired driving.

[[Page 66284]]

                IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this 
                twenty-seventh day of November, in the year of our Lord 
                two thousand nineteen, and of the Independence of the 
                United States of America the two hundred and forty-
                fourth.
                
                
                    (Presidential Sig.)

[FR Doc. 2019-26284
Filed 12-3-19; 8:45 am]
Billing code 3295-F0-P