MADD Teen Influencer
November 2025
2
by Ben Haworth, MADD Teen Influencer Thanksgiving Traditions, College, and Drinking
It’s almost that time of year again for Thanksgiving. The holiday is one known for gathering with family and friends, expressing gratitude, and, for me personally, taking a break from the hectic pace of my first year of college. However, in recent years, the growing trend I recently learned about has changed the holiday to a more negative one. The night before Thanksgiving–Blackout Wednesday- has become synonymous in various communities for heavy drinking and potential risks like drunk driving.
More people are out driving than usual during the holidays in general. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), from 2016 to 2020, 138 drivers involved in fatal crashes on Thanksgiving Eve were alcohol-impaired. Young people are particularly at risk: Drivers ages 21-24 represented the largest percentage (44%) of alcohol-impaired drivers involved in fatal crashes between 2016 and 2020 on Thanksgiving Eve. In many ways, Blackout Wednesday is a perfect storm of problematic drinking behaviors. Between justified binge drinking and bar promotions, the surge of overconsumption comes with a variety of potentially dangerous consequences. These include normalizing binge drinking, adding to problematic drinking habits and addiction, and putting driver safety at risk.
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