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During Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over Campaign

09/13/2019

During Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over Campaign

 

The Vernon County Sheriff’s Office partnered with the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for the national Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over Labor Day weekend drunk-driving enforcement campaign.

From August 14-September 2, local law enforcement showed zero tolerance for impaired driving, arresting several offenders for the deadly crime.

The Vernon County Sheriff’s Office ramped up its usual enforcement efforts, adding additional Patrol units.  Sheriff Mosher said that by removing drunk drivers from the roads, many lives were likely saved.

“Every day, we work to spread the word about the dangers of drunk driving, and the national Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign helps our law enforcement officers better address this problem head on,” said Sheriff Mosher.   “Drug-impaired driving is also an increasing problem on our nation’s roads. If you feel impaired by any substance, do not get behind the wheel of a vehicle. Remember: If You Feel Different, You Drive Different. Drive High, Get a DUI,” Sheriff Mosher said.

During the 2017 Labor Day holiday period (6 p.m. September 1 – 5:59 a.m. September 5), there were 376 crash fatalities nationwide. Forty-four percent of those fatalities involved drivers who had been drinking (.01+ BAC). More than one-third (36%) of the fatalities involved drivers who were drunk (.08+ BAC), and more than one-fourth (26%) involved drivers who were driving with a BAC almost twice the legal limit (.15+ BAC). Age is a particularly risky factor: Among the drivers between the ages of 18 and 34 who were killed in crashes over the Labor Day holiday period in 2017, 42 percent of those drivers were drunk, with BACs of .08 or higher.

“We encourage party goers to make a plan before they head out to their festivities, so that they may avoid driving drunk at all costs,” said Sheriff Mosher.  “Remember: it is never okay to drink and drive. Even one drink can be one drink too many. Drinking and driving is a choice; one you should never make.”