WASHINGTON (Dec. 17, 2008) – Thousands of law enforcement agencies in all 50 states hit the roads this week to stop drunk drivers during the dangerous holiday season. Every state in the nation is geared up 24-7 for the Drunk Driving. Over the Limit. Under Arrest. campaign, letting the public know: If you drive drunk, you will be arrested.

The massive holiday crackdown intends to deter drunk driving and reduce the fatalities and injuries it causes. Between last year’s Thanksgiving and New Year’s holidays, 1,293 people were killed in crashes involving drivers or motorcycle operators with an illegal blood alcohol concentration of .08 or higher.

This $8-million national TV and radio ad campaign, placed with Congressional funding by the Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) involves stepped-up, high-visibility law enforcement, using saturation patrols and sobriety checkpoints to help protect the millions of Americans traveling from now through the New Year’s holiday. (NHTSA Launches Winter Holiday Crackdown on Drunk Drivers – read the press release.) (New Study Finds Drivers Age 21 to 24 Have Highest Involvement Rates – read the report.)

Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) and the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) strongly support these efforts as essential to protecting the public from drunk driving, including the more than two million drunk drivers with three or more convictions and the more than 400,000 with five or more convictions.

“Beginning with increased efforts by law enforcement, MADD looks forward to eventually eliminating this violent crime altogether,” says MADD National President Laura Dean-Mooney, whose 32-year-old husband, Mike Dean, was killed by a drunk driver 17 years ago. MADD’s Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving calls for increased law enforcement efforts, mandated alcohol ignition interlocks for all convicted drunk drivers, the exploration and development of advanced technologies to prevent drunk drivers from operating vehicles and grassroots support for the Campaign.

“Drunk Driving. Over the Limit. Under Arrest. isn’t just a slogan, but a reflection of states’ increasing intolerance of drunk driving,” says GHSA Chairman Vernon F. Betkey, Jr. “No more excuses or exceptions,” Betkey says. “States are funding overtime enforcement, drunk driving checkpoints and saturation patrols to keep the roads safe during the holidays.”

“We know that enhanced patrols and other law enforcement efforts help reduce drunk driving and the needless deaths and injuries that result from it,” says IACP President Russell B. Laine, Chief of Police for the Algonquin, Illinois Police Department since 1985. “Law enforcement officers will be out in full force this holiday season to crack down on drunk drivers, get them off our nation’s roads, behind bars, and make our highways safer.”

“We ask people to tie MADD red ribbons to their vehicles to support law enforcement and remind others to drive safely during the holidays,” says Dean-Mooney. Ribbons are available at MADD offices throughout the nation, and sites are accessible through www.madd.org.

A detailed listing of state activities during the holiday crackdown is available at http://www.ghsa.org/html/projects/OTLUA/holiday08.html.

MADD’s mission is to stop drunk driving, support the victims of this violent crime and prevent underage drinking. MADD is a 501 (c) (3) charity with 2 million members and supporters nationwide. Founded in 1980, MADD has helped save more than 330,000 lives. For more information, visit www.madd.org.

The Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) is a nonprofit association representing the highway safety offices of states, territories, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. GHSA provides leadership and representation for the states and territories to improve traffic safety, influence national policy and enhance program management. Its members are appointed by their Governors to administer federal and state highway safety funds and implement state highway safety plans. Contact GHSA at 202-789-0942 or visit www.ghsa.org.

Founded in 1893, the International Association of Chiefs of Police is the world’s oldest and largest association of law enforcement executives with more than 19,000 members in nearly 100 countries. For more information, visit www.iacp.org.

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www.nhtsa.gov  
www.madd.org 
www.ghsa.org  
www.iacp.org 
NHTSA Launches Winter Holiday Crackdown on Drunk Drivers – press release
New Study Finds Drivers Age 21 to 24 Have Highest Involvement Rates – report