The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) is joining more than 70 traffic safety and advocacy groups nationwide in observing National Passenger Safety Week, January 19–26, 2026. This critical lifesaving initiative, led by We Save Lives and The National Road Safety Foundation, empowers passengers to take an active role in promoting roadway safety and preventing crashes by speaking up when confronted with dangerous driving behaviors.
“Passengers are often the first to recognize dangerous behaviors inside a vehicle,” said ALEA Secretary Hal Taylor. “We want citizens to understand that speaking up is not about confrontation, it’s about protection. A simple intervention can prevent a tragedy and help ensure everyone reaches their destination safely.”
Last year, 40,901 people were killed in crashes on American roads and highways. An estimated 3,308 people died in crashes involving distracted drivers, and 289,310 were injured. Additionally, 11,302 unbuckled passengers were killed, and 13,524 people lost their lives in alcohol-impaired driving crashes nationwide.
In 2024, 967 lives were lost on Alabama roadways. Of those fatalities, speeding was a primary contributing factor in 142 fatal crashes, while 89 fatal crashes involved driving under the influence as a primary contributing factor, according to Drive Safe Alabama. Seat belts were not used in 354 of the 967 fatalities, involving both drivers and passengers.
“Every person in a vehicle has a role to play in safety,” said Colonel Jonathan Archer, Director of ALEA’s Department of Public Safety (DPS). “Speaking up can feel uncomfortable, but it can also be lifesaving. We encourage passengers to have the courage to intervene, whether that means asking a driver to buckle up, put the phone away, slow down and to not drive if impaired. One voice can make all the difference.”
National Passenger Safety Week highlights the critical role passengers play in roadway safety and encourages them to challenge unsafe driving behaviors.
The campaign’s Courage to Intervene Promise serves as a guiding pledge:
• Stop drivers from driving impaired
• Refuse to ride with impaired drivers
• Discourage drivers from using cell phones or other distractions while driving
• Intervene to prevent unsafe driving, prioritizing safety for everyone on the road
More information, including tips on how to speak up, is available at nationalpassengersafety.org, where the downloadable Courage to Intervene Promise can also be found.
We Save Lives is an umbrella organization founded in 2014 by Candace Lightner, founder of Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD). The organization unites more than 50 highway safety advocates, law enforcement agencies, companies, local and state organizations, national and international entities, and victim and survivor groups—all dedicated to ending the devastation on America’s highways. Since its inception, We Save Lives has launched impactful campaigns including #ButNotWhileDriving, Stop Marijuana Impaired Driving, Crash Not Accident and Reflections from Inside, remaining steadfast in its commitment to saving lives.
The National Road Safety Foundation, founded in 1962, produces free videos and teaching materials addressing distracted driving, speeding and aggressive driving, impaired and drowsy driving, pedestrian safety and other critical safety issues. The foundation also sponsors contests that engage teens in promoting safe driving among their peers and communities, partnering with national youth advocacy organizations such as SADD, FCCLA, Impact Teen Drivers and Teens in the Driver Seat, as well as major auto shows in Chicago and Detroit.
