‘Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over’ campaign runs from December 18 to January 3

Law enforcement agencies across the state will be out in force to combat drunken driving during the national Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign from Friday, December 18 to Sunday, January 3.

“Enforcement and educational efforts to prevent drunken driving, like the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign, have helped reduce deaths from alcohol-related crashes by approximately 51 percent and injuries by 55 percent over the last 10 years in Wisconsin,” says David Pabst, director of the Wisconsin Department of Transportation’s (WisDOT) Bureau of Transportation Safety.

Wisconsin residents also support law enforcement efforts to stop, test and arrest drivers who make the irresponsible and reckless decision to get behind the wheel while impaired during the holiday season. According to the 2015 AAA Consumer Pulse Survey conducted in September and October, 78 percent of the Wisconsin respondents (nearly four out of five) agreed that there should be an increased law enforcement presence to catch impaired drivers during the holiday season.

The 2015 AAA Consumer Pulse Survey also showed:

• If they drink while away from home, 39 percent of the respondents always use a designated driver, and 17 percent frequently use a designated driver.
• Of the respondents who drink, 36 percent consume more alcohol than usual at Christmas events and parties, and 38 percent consume more alcohol than usual on New Year’s Eve. Christmas and New Year’s Eve were the two most popular holidays for drinking.
• Of the respondents who drink, 56 percent said that they were more likely to use a designated driver during the holidays.

“Impaired driving is a major problem in our state, and AAA Wisconsin supports the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign,” says Vicki Hanson, regional president for AAA Wisconsin. “If you know someone who is under the influence of alcohol or drugs, do not let them drive.”

To help prevent drunken driving, WisDOT offers a free Zero In Wisconsin Drive Sober mobile app, which includes:

• A Find-a-Ride feature that uses a smart phone’s GPS to locate alternative transportation—including taxi services, mass transit, Uber and Lyft.
• A blood alcohol estimator.
• A designated driver selector.
• Interactive games that help determine whether drivers should give up their car keys.

Since its launch two years ago, more than 66,000 people have downloaded the Zero in Wisconsin Drive Sober app. Free downloads of the app are available at Zero in Wisconsin online (http://www.zeroinwisconsin.gov/resources/).