“Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” Plan for a Sober Ride Home
News | Date Posted: Monday, August 22, 2022
News | Date Posted: Monday, August 22, 2022
DOVER, Del. (August 22, 2022)– The Delaware Office of Highway Safety (OHS), in partnership with NHTSA, is participating in the national enforcement mobilization “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over”. From August 19 through September 5, OHS will be partnering with State and local law enforcement, working together to have a consistent police presence across the State to stop drunk driving and potentially save lives.
“As the summer season comes to an end, OHS wants to remind drivers of the importance of planning for a sober ride if alcohol is included in the Labor Day celebration plans, said Richard Klepner Deputy Director, Delaware Office of Highway Safety.” “Drunk driving is not acceptable behavior, especially when there are so many alternatives to get you home safely.”
Delaware DUI Statistics
Data shows that Labor Day weekend is one of the deadliest times of the year on Delaware roadways.
According to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 11,654 people were killed in motor vehicle crashes in 2020 that involved an alcohol-impaired driver. On average, more than 10,000 people were killed each year from 2016 to 2020, and one person was killed in a drunk driving crash every 45 minutes in 2020.
During the 2020 Labor Day holiday period (6 p.m. September 4 – 5:59 a.m. September 8), there were 530 crash fatalities nationwide. Forty-six percent of those fatalities involved drivers who had been drinking (.01+ BAC). More than one-third (38%) of the fatalities involved drunk drivers (.08+ BAC), and one-fourth (25%) involved drivers who were driving with a BAC almost twice the legal limit (.15+ BAC). Age is a particularly risky factor: Among drivers between the ages of 21 and 34 who were killed in crashes over the Labor Day holiday period in 2020, 44% of those drivers were drunk, with BACs of .08 or higher.
Celebrate with a Plan
Always remember to plan ahead if you will be celebrating the end of summer and over the Labor Day holiday weekend. If you plan to drink, plan for a sober driver to take you home. Is it your turn to be the designated driver? Take that role seriously and do not consume alcohol, not even one drink.
For more information on the campaign, statistics, and education on impaired driving visit https://www.arrivealivede.com/drive-sober/
About the Delaware Office of Highway Safety
The Office of Highway Safety (OHS) is committed to improving the safety of Delaware’s motoring public by focusing on behavioral traffic safety issues, such as impaired driving, seat belt use, speeding, child passenger safety, pedestrian and bicycle safety, motorcycle safety, and teen driving issues. Follow the Delaware Office of Highway Safety on ArriveAliveDE.com, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat
Media Contact:
Delaware Office Of Highway Safety
Jason Coleman
302-744-2743 (office)
302-943-7293 (cell)
Keep up to date by receiving a daily digest email, around noon, of current news release posts from state agencies on news.delaware.gov.
Here you can subscribe to future news updates.
News | Date Posted: Monday, August 22, 2022
DOVER, Del. (August 22, 2022)– The Delaware Office of Highway Safety (OHS), in partnership with NHTSA, is participating in the national enforcement mobilization “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over”. From August 19 through September 5, OHS will be partnering with State and local law enforcement, working together to have a consistent police presence across the State to stop drunk driving and potentially save lives.
“As the summer season comes to an end, OHS wants to remind drivers of the importance of planning for a sober ride if alcohol is included in the Labor Day celebration plans, said Richard Klepner Deputy Director, Delaware Office of Highway Safety.” “Drunk driving is not acceptable behavior, especially when there are so many alternatives to get you home safely.”
Delaware DUI Statistics
Data shows that Labor Day weekend is one of the deadliest times of the year on Delaware roadways.
According to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 11,654 people were killed in motor vehicle crashes in 2020 that involved an alcohol-impaired driver. On average, more than 10,000 people were killed each year from 2016 to 2020, and one person was killed in a drunk driving crash every 45 minutes in 2020.
During the 2020 Labor Day holiday period (6 p.m. September 4 – 5:59 a.m. September 8), there were 530 crash fatalities nationwide. Forty-six percent of those fatalities involved drivers who had been drinking (.01+ BAC). More than one-third (38%) of the fatalities involved drunk drivers (.08+ BAC), and one-fourth (25%) involved drivers who were driving with a BAC almost twice the legal limit (.15+ BAC). Age is a particularly risky factor: Among drivers between the ages of 21 and 34 who were killed in crashes over the Labor Day holiday period in 2020, 44% of those drivers were drunk, with BACs of .08 or higher.
Celebrate with a Plan
Always remember to plan ahead if you will be celebrating the end of summer and over the Labor Day holiday weekend. If you plan to drink, plan for a sober driver to take you home. Is it your turn to be the designated driver? Take that role seriously and do not consume alcohol, not even one drink.
For more information on the campaign, statistics, and education on impaired driving visit https://www.arrivealivede.com/drive-sober/
About the Delaware Office of Highway Safety
The Office of Highway Safety (OHS) is committed to improving the safety of Delaware’s motoring public by focusing on behavioral traffic safety issues, such as impaired driving, seat belt use, speeding, child passenger safety, pedestrian and bicycle safety, motorcycle safety, and teen driving issues. Follow the Delaware Office of Highway Safety on ArriveAliveDE.com, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat
Media Contact:
Delaware Office Of Highway Safety
Jason Coleman
302-744-2743 (office)
302-943-7293 (cell)
Keep up to date by receiving a daily digest email, around noon, of current news release posts from state agencies on news.delaware.gov.
Here you can subscribe to future news updates.