Des Moines, IA – Drivers across Iowa are being urged to use extreme caution this Blackout Wednesday, as one of the nation’s busiest drinking nights overlaps with early Thanksgiving travel along major corridors including I-80, I-35, and US-30.
According to Alcohol.org, the Wednesday before Thanksgiving—often called Blackout Wednesday or “Drinksgiving”—has become one of America’s heaviest alcohol-consumption nights. In 2022, liquor orders surged 156% over the prior Wednesday, while beer sales climbed 85% and cocktail orders rose 69%. Health experts say holiday stress, long weekends and pre-feast gatherings drive widespread binge drinking.
National traffic-safety data shows motorists are 55% more likely to encounter an impaired driver on Thanksgiving compared to an average day. Between 2017 and 2021, more than 830 people nationwide were killed in drunk-driving crashes during the Thanksgiving travel period.
Iowa State Patrol and local departments in Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, Davenport, Sioux City, Iowa City and Ames are increasing DUI enforcement Wednesday night. Troopers say I-80, I-35, US-30, and nightlife hubs like Court Avenue in Des Moines, downtown Iowa City, Cedar Rapids’ bar district and Ames’ Campustown often see elevated impairment-related incidents as college students return home and holiday bar crowds grow.
Nationally, cities such as Indianapolis and Minneapolis report that Blackout Wednesday can surpass New Year’s Eve and St. Patrick’s Day for DUI arrests—a warning Iowa law enforcement says applies here as well, especially with major interstates carrying heavy traffic before the Thanksgiving holiday.
Drivers are urged to avoid late-night travel, plan sober transportation and report suspected impaired drivers immediately.
