A BMW driver was treated for injuries after being launched into the air off a concrete barrier at the side of a tunnel entrance, hitting the top of the tunnel, and crashing onto the road below, near Poprad, Slovakia, on December 20, police said.

Slovak police said that the 44-year-old driver, from Bardejov, did not sustain serious injuries and passed a breathalyzer test. The driver was the sole occupant of the car, police said. Credit: Slovak Police via Storyful

ABC News tweeted the video of the unbelievable incident:

A car was launched into the air off a concrete barrier on one side of a tunnel entrance, hitting the top of the tunnel before crashing down. Police said that the driver did not have serious injuries and passed a breathalyzer test.

Fortunately, no one was hurt in this unbelievable accident. Miraculously, alcohol was not a factor in the crash. The video is a great reminder, however, of how many alcohol-related deaths take place every year on New Year’s Eve.

It is a commonly known fact that there are more alcohol-related car accidents on New Year’s Eve than most other nights.

Earlier today, Michigan State Police tweeted out an important reminder to anyone who plans to drink alcohol tonight. They’re asking that partiers download a driving app (like Uber or Lyft), call a cab or designate a driver before heading out to the bar or a party where you’ll be drinking alcohol while celebrating New Year’s Eve. Have a great time celebrating another year with Donald J. Trum as your President, just don’t harm yourself or someone else in the process.

According to the St. Louis, MO Post-Dispatch, compared to the average weekend night, the 12-hour window between 6 p.m. on Dec. 31 and 6 a.m. on Jan. 1 tends to have about 71% more crashes where alcohol or drugs are listed as a contributing factor.

Overall, Mothers Against Drunk Drivers (MADD) notes that the overall number of drunk driving deaths is down by about 50% since 1980. However, we still know that New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day continues to be a day clouded by drunk driving accidents and deaths. New Year’s driving statistics from SafeAuto.com show that between 2008 and 2012, January 1st had the highest percentage of alcohol-related deaths when compared to other days and holidays. In fact, on New Year’s Day in 2013 alone, we found out that 140 individuals were killed in crashes that were alcohol-related. On most days, only 28 people in America die after being in a drunk driving crash, so it’s easy to see that the numbers are much higher on New Year’s Day.

While individuals of all ages drink and drive, MADD statistics show that 21-24-year-olds are the most likely age group to be involved in a drunk driving crash.

Although New Years driving statistics show that many fatalities occur on this holiday, it is possible to take some steps that will reduce problems with New Year’s drunk driving. Before heading out to New Year’s celebrations this year, we recommend the following tips:

Before going out, MADD recommends designating a driver who will not drink on New Year’s Eve/New Year’s Day.
If possible, spend the night at a friend or family member’s home to avoid needing to drive home.

Be responsible. Never allow someone who has been drinking heavily to get in the driver’s seat of a vehicle.
When hosting a New Year’s Eve or New Year’s Day party, be responsible and help guests arrange transportation. According to MedicalDaily.com, hosts could be held responsible if someone leaves their home and kills or hurts someone in an alcohol-related collision.

Individuals who have had even one drink of alcohol should not get behind the wheel of a vehicle, and it’s important to never ride with someone else who has had even one or two drinks.

If a friend or family member appears to be impaired, take their keys away to prevent that individual from getting behind the wheel of a car.

It’s better to call a friend or family member for a ride, even if it’s embarrassing than to get behind the wheel and cause a serious accident.

Individuals should call the police if they see an impaired driver out on the road. We think it’s better to get the police involved than to let that individual cause a car crash.

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