National ‘Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over’ campaign continues through Labor Day

Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over is the message from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The NHTSA kicked off its high-visibility enforcement campaign in August, reminding Americans not to drive impaired. The high-visibility enforcement is supported by a $10 million national advertising campaign.

Motorists can expect to see increased law enforcement on the road from Aug. 19 through Sept. 7. During this time, thousands of participating state and local law enforcement agencies will be monitoring roadways to protect the public from impaired drivers.

“Driving while impaired is a leading cause of fatalities on our nation’s roads, and during this Labor Day weekend, please take action to avoid these completely preventable tragedies,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao.

NHTSA’s latest alcohol-impaired driving data shows that in 2018 there were 10,511 motor vehicle crash fatalities involving a driver with a blood alcohol concentration above the legal limit, accounting for 29% of all traffic fatalities that year.

About two-thirds of alcohol-impaired fatalities (7,051) were in crashes involving a driver with a BAC of 0.15 g/dL or higher -- close to twice the legal limit in most states.

In the 2018 Labor Day holiday alone, the NHTSA reported 439 traffic crash deaths, with 43% involving drivers who had been drinking and 38% involved a drunk driver. =

The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office sharing the same message: “Don’t be part of the problem. Always ride sober no matter what.”

“Our campaign’s focus is to raise national awareness about the dangers of driving while impaired, and to prevent future crash fatalities and injuries,” said NHTSA Deputy Administrator James Owens. “NHTSA encourages everyone to celebrate this socially distanced Labor Day safely and create a plan that prevents you, your friends, or your family from driving impaired.”