In the first few days following the August 16 advent of the National Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign, Kentucky State Police said 347 DUI arrests were made by law enforcement agencies across the state.
KSP Spokesman Sergeant Josh Lawson says the focus of the campaign is saving lives.
“We aggressively watch for impaired drivers year-round, but when we join this effort with law enforcement agencies across the state it immediately becomes a force-multiplier to make our roads safer,” Lawson said, adding that there have been 53 impaired driving crashes since August 16.
“It’s unacceptable that in the first five days of the ‘Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over’ Campaign that there were that many crashes,” Lawson noted. “With Labor Day soon approaching vacation travel will increase and we must keep these families safe on our roadways.”
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), on average, there is one alcohol impaired driving-related fatality every 50 minutes across the U.S. Also according to NHTSA, high-visibility enforcement such as the “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign reduces alcohol-impaired driving fatalities by as much as 20 percent.
“There are no lack of options for getting a safe ride home,” Lawson said. “Law enforcement is doing our part to safeguard citizens; we ask that others do the same. Plan ahead and designate a sober driver or utilize a ride-share company if you have been drinking.”
The national DUI crackdown extends through Labor Day Weekend. In addition to statewide DUI enforcement, KSP will conduct statewide traffic safety checkpoints to enforce all traffic laws of the commonwealth. Special attention will be placed on occupant protection (seatbelt/child restraint usage), vehicle safety, insurance compliance, registration violations and speeding.
Citizens are encouraged to report impaired or erratic drivers and criminal activity by calling KSP toll-free at 1-800-222-5555 or through the KSP mobile app.
By Ken Howlett, News Director
Contact Ken at ken@k105.com or 270-259-6000
