The holiday season is known for celebrations and traditions, but it is also known for being the deadliest season when it comes to impaired driving. Iowa Law Enforcement across the state will partner with the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) this holiday season to remove impaired drivers from the roads and help save lives. From December 18, 2020 to January 1, 2021, motorists will see an increased presence of law enforcement.
Sadly, the statistics prove that we have a lot of work to do to put an end to drunk driving. According to NHTSA, 10,511 people were killed in drunk-driving crashes in 2018. On average, more than 10,000 people were killed each year from 2014 to 2018 — one person was killed in a drunk-driving crash every 50 minutes in 2018. Therefore, the Governor’s Traffic Safety Bureau and the Mar-Mar Police Department reminds drivers impaired driving is not only illegal, but also a matter of life and death. As you head out to the holiday festivities, remember: Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over.
Sobering Statistics:
- 2018 traffic fatalities in Iowa, 27% involved alcohol-impaired driving. Do not put your loved ones at risk this holiday season.
- According to NHTSA, 839 people lost their lives nationally in traffic crashes involving a drunk driver during the month of December 2018.
- Despite the fact it is illegal to drive when impaired by alcohol, in 2018, one person was killed every 50 minutes by a drunk driver on our nation’s roads.
- During the Christmas and New Year’s Day holiday periods in 2018 alone, there were more drunk-driving-related fatalities (285) than during any other holiday period that year.
- An OWI can cost you $10,000 in attorney’s fees, fines, repairs, and lost time at work!
- In 2018, 85 lives were taken by alcohol-impaired traffic crashes in Iowa. Do not be the reason someone does not get home this holiday season.
Celebrate with a Plan:
Always remember to plan if you will be celebrating with an impairing substance. If you plan to indulge, plan for a sober driver to take you home. Call a taxi, friend, or Uber! Is it your turn to be the designated driver? Take the role seriously and do not partake in alcohol or any other drugs. You are saving lives!
Drive Merry, Bright, and Sober This Holiday Season:
Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over
Media contact: Genie Sterbenz, GTSB sTEP Program Administrator, (515) 725-6121.
Robert Millin, Chief of Police
Mar-Mac Police Department
