Campaign against drunk driving to begin

During the 2019 Labor Day holiday, the Thermopolis Police Department will be working overtime to get drunk drivers off the roads and save lives. The high-visibility national enforcement campaign, Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over, runs from Aug. 14 through Sept. 2. During this period, police will show zero tolerance for drunk driving. There will be increased messaging about the dangers of driving impaired and additional officers on the road, who aim to drastically reduce drunk driving on our roadways.

Statistics prove there’s a lot of work to do to put an end to drunk driving. According to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 10,874 people were killed in drunk-driving crashes in 2017. On average, 10,000 people were killed each year from 2013 to 2017—one person was killed in drunk driving crashes every 48 minutes in 2017. That’s the equivalent of 20 jumbo jets crashing each year, with no survivors.

This is why the Thermopolis Police Department is working to remind drivers that drunk driving is not only illegal, it is a matter of life and death. As you head out to Labor Day holiday, remember: Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over.

Drunk driving isn’t the only danger on the road. Drug-impaired driving is also an increasing problem on our roads. If drivers are impaired by any substance—alcohol or drugs—they should never get behind the wheel of a vehicle. Driving while impaired is illegal, period. The bottom line is this: If You Feel Different, You Drive Different. Drive High, Get a DUI. It’s that simple.

Labor Day should be a time for friends and family to come together to enjoy the last days of summer. We need commitment from our community members that they’ll keep the streets free of drunk drivers so that everyone can have a safe holiday. This is a campaign to get the message out that drunk driving is illegal and it costs lives. Help us put an end to this senseless behavior.

“Drunk driving is not acceptable behavior,” said Chief Julie Mathews. “It is essential to plan a sober ride home before you ever leave for the party. That’s why, during the Labor Day holiday, we will make zero exceptions for drunk driving. There are just no excuses,” she said.

The Thermopolis Police Department recommends these safe alternatives to drinking and driving:

•Remember that it is never okay to drink and drive. Even if you’ve had only one alcoholic beverage, designate a sober driver.

•Download NHTSA’s SaferRide mobile app. SaferRide allows users to call a taxi or a predetermined friend, and identifies the user’s location so he or she can be picked up.

•If you see a drunk driver on the road, contact Thermopolis Police Department or dial 911.

•Have a friend who is about to drink and drive? Take the keys away and make arrangements to get your friend home safely.