As millions of Americans gear up for Labor Day weekend travel, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has launched its annual Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over enforcement campaign to reduce impaired driving.
The campaign kicked off at the National Park Service’s Netherlands Carillon in Arlington, Virginia, with NHTSA Chief Counsel Peter Simshauser joined by park service Deputy Director Frank Lands; Mothers Against Drunk Driving CEO Stacey Stewart; and Rose Kehoe and Kris Meade, parents of teenagers killed by impaired drivers.
“Impaired driving is totally preventable, yet more than 12,000 people are killed each year because someone selfishly decides to drive under the influence,” Simshauser said. “Make the responsible choice ahead of Labor Day weekend and plan ahead. Arrange for a sober ride home.
“Yours is not the only life at stake.”
According to NHTSA, nearly one-third of traffic crash fatalities in the nation involve a drunk driver, with men ages 18 to 34 most likely to drive impaired. Fatal crash rates are three times higher at night than during the day.
The agency is also reinforcing two additional safety messages: Drive High, Get a DUI, to remind drivers that cannabis and other drugs impair driving; and Ride Sober or Get Pulled Over, a campaign directed at motorcyclists. In 2023, 41% of fatal single-motorcycle crashes were alcohol-impaired.
The traffic campaigns continue through Sept. 1 and include a nationwide media push on TV, radio, digital platforms and social media, paired with heightened law-enforcement patrols that began on Aug. 15. Locally, the Gloucester Township Police Department is also joining the crackdown.
In 2023, 36% of the 511 traffic fatalities in the U.S. over Labor Day weekend involved drunk drivers, and 68% of those drivers had a blood alcohol concentration of .15 or higher, nearly twice the legal limit. Statewide, there were 574 fatal crashes in that year, according to nj.gov. Of those, 25.6% of drivers had consumed alcohol in some amount, and 11.8% were legally intoxicated.
Police urge residents to plan ahead: Designate a sober driver, use ride-share services or take public transportation if consuming alcohol or drugs. If you see an impaired driver, call 911.
For more information, visit NHTSA.gov or watch the township police safety message here: Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over Labor Day Campaign.
