The McHenry County Sheriff's Office is teaming up with the Illinois Department of Transportation to enforce a no-nonsense message this holiday season: Stay sober behind the wheel or face strict penalties. The county-wide crackdown, running from today through January 2, 2025, is part of the "Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over" and "Drive High. Get a DUI." campaigns, which will see law enforcement agencies across Illinois taking a hard line against impaired driving.

In sobering statistics shared by the McHenry County Sheriff's Office, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Fatality Analysis Reporting System revealed that 13,384 lives were cut tragically short in motor vehicle crashes involving an alcohol-impaired driver in the United States in 2021. More worryingly, over five years from 2017 to 2021, an average of more than 10,000 people perished annually in alcohol-related accidents—a person every 45 minutes.

To substantially reduce these grim figures, the McHenry County Sheriff's Office recommends a straightforward approach. For those planning to indulge in festive spirits, the safest alternative is designating a sober driver or using a ride-hailing service like Uber. Should you come across an impaired driver on the road, they urge pulling over and contacting law enforcement. And if a friend is on the brink of making a disastrous decision to drive under the influence, they advise taking away their keys and ensuring a safe trip home.

The fight against impaired driving is made possible in part by federal highway safety funds managed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.