The holiday season brings with it a heightened effort to ensure the safety of drivers across several states, including Wisconsin, as the "Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over" campaign launches today, embarking on a mission to curb impaired driving through New Year's Day, according to information from FOX6Now and Urban Milwaukee.
With the commencement of this national initiative, Wisconsin State Patrol and local law enforcement agencies are intensifying patrols, the former stepping up as a reminder of the grim statistics from last holiday season where 393 crashes involving impaired drivers resulted in 12 deaths and 197 injuries, these figures underscore the perilous consequence of driving under the influence, information which was reiterated by Tim Carnahan, Wisconsin State Patrol Superintendent, as he stressed the importance of making responsible choices behind the wheel in a quote obtained by FOX6Now.
To combat impaired driving, the Wisconsin State Patrol offers support to local enforcement agencies with specialized training programs such as Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement (ARIDE) and also boasts a substantial number of Drug Recognition Experts, all aimed at removing dangerous drivers from the roads as detailed by Urban Milwaukee.
New York has also joined the "Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over" campaign, with a commitment from State Troopers to maintain a strong presence on the roads during the holiday season targeting drivers who risk others' safety through impaired, reckless, and distracted driving, this year the focus is not just on DUI offenses but also on other traffic violations including speeding, distracted driving, and the flaunting of the Move-Over Law which a statement obtained by WXHC elaborates on from New York State Police Superintendent Steven G. James, “if your celebrations include drinking, plan ahead for a safe ride home.”
Ameliorating the holiday travel stress, Governor Hochul of New York announced the temporary suspension of construction-related road closures during the festive period to reduce traffic congestion, ensuring safe and timely travel for residents, this development was supported by New York State Department of Transportation Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez in her emphasis on a stress-free journey, as mentioned in the same report by WXHC.
