WISCONSIN (WTAQ-WLUK) — Officials are urging Wisconsin drivers to celebrate the holidays responsibly.
The Wisconsin State Patrol is joining the national Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over holiday campaign to increase safety and awareness and decrease the amount of impaired drivers on the roads.
Starting Friday through New Year’s Day, officers across the state will boost patrols focusing on impaired drivers.
Last holiday season saw nearly 400 crashes involving impaired drivers in Wisconsin. Those incidents killed seven people and injured almost 200 others. Someone is killed or injured in impaired driving crash every two hours in Wisconsin.
“There are hundreds of families mourning those lost in preventable tragedies this holiday season. Put safety first every trip behind the wheel so you can make sure you make it home to your loved ones,” Wisconsin State Patrol Superintendent Tim Carnahan said.
Alcohol and drugs can have a significant impact on a driver’s focus and ability to maintain control behind the wheel. Even a small amount can impact a driver’s coordination and concentration. Impaired drivers cannot accurately assess their own impairment, officials say.
Wisconsin State Patrol says you can make the roads safer for everyone if you do the following:
- If you plan to celebrate, identify a sober designated driver. If you’re feeling impaired, you likely are over the 0.08 BAC limit and should not drive.
- Rather than risk an arrest: take mass transit, call a taxi, use a rideshare service, or ask a sober friend to drive you home.
- If you have a friend who is about to drink and drive, step in. Take the keys away and help them get home safely.
- Some bars and restaurants have programs to provide customers with a safe ride home.
- If you suspect a driver is impaired, safely gather as much info as you can about the vehicle, driver, and location. Then call 911.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, tough enforcement of drunk driving laws has been a major factor in reducing drunk driving deaths since the 1980s.
