The US Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has kicked off its annual ‘Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over’ enforcement campaign.
As millions of Americans prepare for road trips over the Labor Day weekend, NHTSA is reminding motorists of the dangers and consequences of driving drunk or high.
“Impaired driving is totally preventable, yet more than 12,000 people are killed each year because someone selfishly decides to drive under the influence,” said NHTSA Chief Counsel Peter Simshauser.
“Law enforcement officers nationwide are joining us to help stop impaired drivers and save lives. Make the responsible choice ahead of Labor Day weekend and plan ahead–arrange for a sober ride home. Yours is not the only life at stake.”
According to the NHTSA, nearly one third of all traffic crash fatalities in the United States involve drunk drivers with a BAC at or above the legal limit of .08. Men 18-34 years old are most likely to be impaired drivers, and evening hours are the deadliest, where the rate of alcohol-impaired fatal crashes are three times higher at night than during the day.
NHTSA is supplementing the campaign with two additional messages, ‘Drive High, Get a DUI’ which reminds drivers that cannabis and other drugs impair their ability to drive safely and can result in an impaired-driving charge. While ‘Ride Sober or Get Pulled Over’ also reminds motorcyclists to not drink and ride. The organization said in 2023, 41 per cent of riders who died in single-motorcycle crashes were alcohol impaired.
The campaigns are supported by a national media campaign. Law enforcement officers also will be stepping up patrols to identify and stop impaired drivers.
