Yet despite this progress, 89 people have lost their lives on Alaska's highways through Dec. 21 of this year. Still ahead are the Christmas and New Year's Eve holidays when a celebration can turn to tragedy in an instant if an impaired driver gets behind the wheel.
More than 40 percent of traffic deaths during the Christmas and New Year's Eve holidays in Alaska involved alcohol and 30 percent of the drivers and passengers who died were not wearing seat belts.
Many Alaska State Troopers and local police officers will spend their holidays on the road to keep us safe. But they cannot do it alone.
This is to remind your readers to use sober designated drivers, wear seat belts and properly buckle up all children in appropriate child car seats and seat belts this holiday season.
On behalf of the employees at the Alaska Department of Transportation and Alaska Department of Public Safety, we wish all Alaskans safe and happy holidays.
Mike Barton
Commissioner of Transportation and Bill Tandeske
Commissioner of Public Safety
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