Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign continues through Jan. 1

Just a reminder that the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety and state and local law enforcement continue their holiday crackdown on impaired drivers over the New Year’s holiday weekend.

Georgia is participating in the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s annual Drive Sober Or Get Pulled Over campaign that started December 13, and runs through January 1, 2020.

With more than 100 million travelers on our nation’s roads during Christmas and New Year’s, Georgia law enforcement continues their year-round zero tolerance policy during the Christmas holiday season by taking all impaired drivers to jail.

NHTSA data shows that 839 people lost their lives in traffic crashes involving a drunk driver during the month of December in 2018.

During the Christmas and New Year’s Day holiday periods in 2018 alone, there were more drunk driving-related fatalities than during any other holiday period that year.

Georgia’s alcohol-impaired fatalities last year accounted for approximately 25 percent of all traffic fatalities statewide with 375. While that’s better than the national average of 29 percent, that’s still 375 too many.

GOHS focuses on impaired drivers during the holiday season, but they are also warning drivers who might never drive drunk that there are still things they can do to help get home safe.

First, remember that it is never okay to drink and drive. Even if you’ve had only one alcoholic beverage, designate a sober driver or plan to use public transportation or a ride service to get home safely.

Second, if you’re hosting holiday festivities, be sure to have non-alcoholic drinks available to encourage designated drivers and

And third, be prepared to take keys away from anyone who tries to leave after drinking and make arrangements for them to get home safely.

If you see a drunk driver on the road, call 9-1-1, *GSP, or your local law enforcement agency.