This holiday season, the U.S Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is partnering with the Mountain Home Police Department (MHPD) to share the message about the dangers of drunk driving. NHTSA and MHPD want all drivers to remember this life saving message: drive sober or get pulled over. In support of the law enforcement community’s dedication to protecting the lives of residents in their communities, officers will be working together through Jan. 1 to take drunk drivers off the roads.MHPD says these expanded efforts to protect against impaired driving will be conducted in a fair and equitable way.According to NHTSA, 10,142 people were killed in drunk-driving crashes in 2019, accounting for nearly one-third of traffic crash fatalities. On average, more than 10,000 people were killed each year from 2015-2019– one person was killed in a drunk-driving crash every 52 minutes in 2019.
Mountain Home Police Department is working with NHTSA to remind drivers that drunk driving is not only illegal, it is a matter of life and death. As the holiday festivities commence, remember: Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over.
Lt. Bryan Corbett says, “It’s so important that drivers act responsibly, and that includes refraining from impaired driving. The holidays are a special time of year for most, and we really want our community members to enjoy this season. We need commitment from our drivers that they’ll keep the roads free of drunk drivers so that everyone can have a safe holiday. This is a campaign to get the message out that drunk driving is illegal and takes lives.”
During the month of Dec. 2019, 837 people lost their lives in traffic crashes involving a drunk driver. During the Christmas and New Year’s Day holiday periods in 2019 alone, there were more drunk-driving related fatalities than during any other holiday period that year.
Lt. Corbett says, “Drunk driving is not acceptable behavior, it is essential to plan a sober ride home before you ever leave for the party. There are too many resources to get you home safely. There are just no excuses for drunk driving.”
Nationally, it is illegal to drive with a blood alcohol content (BAC) of .08 higher and the costs can be financial too. Those who drink and drive face the possibility of jail time, loss of driver’s license and vehicle and payments of up to $10,000 in attorney’s fees, fines, higher insurance rates and lost wages.
For more information about the 2021 holiday season Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign, visit nhtsa.gov .
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