KANSAS CITY — The Labor Day holiday period, including the end of summertime and the holiday weekend, is a busy time on our nation’s roadways. The U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Regions 7, which includes Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska, is partnering with the National Park Service (NPS) and Mothers Against Drunk Driving (M.A.D.D.) to collaborate with our law enforcement community to decrease impaired driving.
From August 16 through September 4, law enforcement in our region and throughout the country will be participating in the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over high-visibility enforcement campaign. You’ll see officers working together during this time to take impaired drivers off the roads in their dedication to protecting the lives of residents in their communities. No matter how you plan to celebrate the end of summer this year, plan to do it safely.
To highlight the sobering impact of impaired driving, NHTSA Region 7, NPS, and M.A.D.D. are joining forces with local law enforcement to host a media event on August 25 and an enforcement period from August 25-27. A lineup of speakers across these organizations will be presenting on the stark reality of impaired driving, underscoring the cost to our community, and answering questions about the Labor Day enforcement period. Representatives from these organizations and state highway safety partners will join forces, along with local K-9 officers and the touring Breath-Alcohol Testing (BAT) mobile unit to promote the Drive Sober campaign.
According to NHTSA, 13,384 people were killed in drunk-driving crashes in 2021 — that’s one person every 39 minutes. On average, more than 11,000 people were killed in drunk-driving crashes each year from 2017 to 2021. This is why our local law enforcement is working alongside NHTSA Region 7, NPS, and M.A.D.D. to remind drivers that impaired driving is not only illegal; it’s a matter of life and death. As you head out to festivities during the end of summer and Labor Day weekend, remember: Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over.
“We want our community members to understand that it’s our first priority to keep people safe, so we’re asking everyone to make a plan for a sober ride if they know they’ll be drinking,” said Regional Administrator Susan DeCourcy. “The Drive Sober campaign is an awareness effort to get the message out that impaired driving is illegal and it takes lives. Drivers, let’s form a partnership this Labor Day and every day: Help us protect our community and put an end to this senseless behavior,” she continued.
During the 2021 Labor Day holiday period (6 p.m. September 3-5:59 a.m. September 7), there were 531 crash fatalities nationwide. Of these 531 traffic crash fatalities, 41% (216) involved an impaired driver, and more than a quarter (27%) involved drivers who were driving with a BAC almost twice the legal limit (.15+ BAC). Among drivers between the ages of 18 and 34 who were killed in crashes over the Labor Day holiday period in 2021, 48.8% of those drivers were impaired, with BACs of .08 or higher.
There are plenty of options to help impaired drivers get home safely, such as designating a sober driver or calling a taxi or rideshare. If available, use your community’s sober ride program. If you encounter an impaired driver on the road, contact local law enforcement immediately.
Remember: A few dollars spent on a ride home is a lot cheaper than a DUI, which can cost up to $10,000. “Don’t ever be too proud or embarrassed to ask for a ride. Allowing a sober driver to help you get home safely keeps you and others safe,” said DeCourcy. “What’s more embarrassing than asking for a sober ride home? Spending the night in jail. Having your car impounded. Losing your job. Getting into a crash and killing or injuring yourself and others. None of these are better outcomes for your or our community.” she added.
No one should mix drinking and driving, and no one is immune to the effects of drinking. If you find yourself impaired with your vehicle, give your keys to a sober driver or call a taxi or rideshare driver who can safely get you home. Remind your friends to never get into a vehicle with an impaired driver. If you have a friend who is about to drive after drinking, take away their keys and help them get home safely. Most importantly: Always have a plan before you head out for the evening. If you wait until after you’ve been drinking to figure out how to get from one place to the next, you will already be too impaired to make the right choice.
For more information on impaired driving, visit www.nhtsa.gov/risky-driving/drunk-driving.