12/05/2025
December is National Impaired Driving Prevention Month. Our dedicated and informed team at Hope’s Destiny stands in solidarity with efforts to promote safety, prevention, and above all, compassion.
Each December, people across the United States recognize that impaired driving remains one of the most preventable tragedies on our roads. In 2023 alone, more than 12,400 people lost their lives in drug- and alcohol-impaired driving crashes in the U.S. (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 2023).This statistic serves as an important reminder that safety is not just about the decisions we make behind the wheel, it begins with our mental health. Stress, depression, trauma, and untreated substance use disorders (SUD) can significantly impact judgment, coping skills, and impulse control. When mental health needs go unaddressed, the risk of impaired decision-making increases, including decisions that affect roadway safety.
At Hope’s Destiny, we believe prevention and safety begin long before someone gets behind the wheel. Many individuals we support are navigating mental-health challenges and/or substance use disorders (SUD). According to the 2024 data from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), roughly 16.8% of people aged 12 or older approximately 48.4 million Americans had a SUD in the past year (National Association of Counties, 2024). In addition, 23.4% of adults (≈ 61.5 million people) experienced any mental illness in the past year, and 5.6% (≈ 14.6 million) experienced serious mental illness (Substance Abuse and Mental Health, 2025).
We understand that stigma and shame can stand in the way of recovery and safety. That’s why Hope’s Destiny is committed to:
Promoting non-judgmental, compassionate support so patients can seek help and meet their recovery goals.
Educating our community on safe decision-making, especially around substances and driving
Advocating for a paradigm shift, treating SUD and mental health struggles as public-health issues, not moral failings.
This month, and every month, we honor lives lost, we stand with those working toward healing, and we recommit to building communities where safety and dignity go hand in hand.