The holiday season is one to which many of us look forward because of time with friends and family, time away from the office and the occasional road trip or quick vacation.

The holidays also come with plenty of time driving from one house to the next, or to the vacation destination of choice. It is time on the highway with millions of other travelers doing the exact same thing you are doing.

It is also time on the road with a few who have had far too good a time at their most recent spot of revelry and had too much to drink.

The Christmas and New Year holidays in particular are holidays that lend themselves to a few more adult beverages — with eggnog at one spot and champagne at another. One thing leads to the next and a person can find themselves well above the legal limit before they know it.

Those decisions at times have awful — and sometimes fatal — consequences.

The group Mothers Against Drunk Driving, reports 175 fatalities on Mississippi’s highways in 2015 were tied to drunk driving, a nearly 2-percent increase over 2014.

And arrests for driving under the influence reached nearly 7,000 in the state.

In today’s world, where information is so prevalent about the dangers of drunk driving and the stiff penalties for even the first DUI charge, it is baffling people still make the choice to drive drunk.

Have we not seen enough public service announcements and testimonials on the dangers of such a choice?

Has the Legislature not worked to pass stronger DUI laws to help curb the practice of drinking and driving?

We know people exist who will chance the risk of arrest and bet they can make it home without causing an accident or getting arrested.

But why?

Why risk it? Why put your life in danger? And, why put the lives of others in danger?

While we know people will push the limit, we must be more vigilant with our loved ones, our friends, by stopping them before they leave the party or family gathering and get behind the wheel.

If they cannot make the right choice, let us make it for them.

The holidays are a time to enjoy time with friends and family, not a time to bemoan poor choices or mourn a senseless death.