(Posted Sept. 2, 2022)
This Labor Day weekend, law enforcement in Madison County are participating in the “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” impaired driving awareness campaign which started Aug. 17 and runs through Sept. 5.
In support of the law enforcement community’s dedication to protecting the lives of residents in their communities, officers will work together during this holiday weekend to take drunk drivers off the roads. These expanded efforts to protect against impaired driving will be conducted in a fair and equitable way.
The Madison County Safe Communities Coalition brought awareness to area residents during their annual “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” kickoff on Aug. 24 at the Madison County EMA office in London. Agencies present at the event were Madison County Public Health, Madison County Emergency Management Agency, Madison County Sheriff’s Office, London Police Department, West Jefferson Police Department, Plain City Police Department, London Fire/EMS, Ohio SADD and the West Jefferson Post of the State Highway Patrol.
According to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), in 2020, 11,654 people were killed in motor vehicle crashes that involved an alcohol-impaired driver. On average, more than 10,000 people were killed each year from 2016 to 2020, and one person was killed in a drunk-driving crash every 45 minutes in 2020.
This is why Madison County Safe Communities is working together with NHTSA to remind drivers that drunk driving is not only illegal, it is a matter of life and death. As you head out to festivities during the end of summer and Labor Day weekend, remember: Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over.
“We want our community members to understand that it’s our first priority to keep people safe, so we’re asking everyone to plan ahead if they know they’ll be out drinking,” said Sgt. Jason Snodgrass.
“We need commitment from our community members that they’ll keep the streets free of drunk drivers so that everyone can have a safe summertime and Labor Day holiday. This is an awareness effort to get the message out that drunk driving is illegal and it takes lives. Let’s make this a partnership between law enforcement and drivers: Help us protect the community and put an end to this senseless behavior.”
The Madison County Safe Communities Coalition and NHTSA are reminding citizens of the many resources available to get them home safely:
• It is never okay to drink and drive. Even if you’ve had only one alcoholic beverage, designate a sober driver or plan to use public transportation or a ride service to get home safely.
• If you drink, call a taxi, a ride-hailing service, or a sober friend
• Do you have a friend who is about to drink and drive? Take the keys away and make arrangements to get your friend home safely.
For more information on impaired driving, visit www.nhtsa.gov/risky-driving/drunk-driving.
