ARKANSAS, USA — Police agencies in Arkansas are partnering with the Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to remind drivers of the dangers of drinking and driving, especially during the holiday season.
The 'Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over' campaign is an initiative where drivers are more likely to see a heavier police presence as they drive during the holidays. According to NHTSA, this is because there is often a rise in drunk-driving deaths during the Christmas and New Years' holiday period.
NHTSA data from 2020 shows that there have been:
- 209 drunk-driving related deaths during Christmas and New Year's holiday periods in 202
- 851 lives lost in drunk-driving crashes in December of 2020
- 11,654 people killed in drunk-driving crashes in 2020
Bella Vista Police Department is also reminding drivers that "even buzzed driving is drunk driving" and that drivers should designate a sober driver before participating in holidays and seasonal festivities.
Benton County Sheriff's Office lists the following tips for holiday driving:
- 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 a ride service, or call a taxi or a sober friend to get home safely.
- If available, use your community’s sober ride programs like Uber and Lyft.
- If you see a drunk driver on the road, contact your local police department.
- If you have a friend who is about to drink and drive, take the keys away and make arrangements to get your friend home safely.
Fort Smith police issued the following statement regarding the campaign:
"Beginning this weekend, Arkansas State Troopers and law enforcement officers from local departments, including the Fort Smith Police Department, will be working together to get impaired drivers off the road. The Arkansas Highway Safety Office asks everyone to remember, “Driver Sober or Get Pulled Over.”
Washington County Sheriff's Office says that during the holiday season, law enforcement agencies will be working together to take drunk drivers off of the road. The increased patrol is funded by the Selective Traffic Enforcement Program (STEP).
You can read more about the national 'Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over' campaign here.
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