Des Moines, IA- The Governor’s Traffic Safety Bureau is partnering with law enforcement across the state to encourage drivers to think twice before drinking and driving this holiday season.
According to a news release, from December 15th through January 1st, drivers will see officers working on a special high-visibility enforcement campaign to spread the message about the dangers of drunk driving.
Preliminary data shows that in 2022, 35% of Iowa’s fatal crashes involved an impaired driver. Last December, about 1,100 drivers were charged with OWI on Iowa roads, and about 25% of those were second or third offenses.
Impaired drivers are a danger to both themselves and other drivers, and the GTSB and law enforcement encourage drivers to always plan ahead before heading out to celebrate.
“Drunk driving isn’t just dangerous, it’s illegal,” says Impaired Driving Program Administrator Todd Olmstead. “Drivers have a choice: follow the law and respect their fellow drivers by refraining from drunk driving, or make the choice to drive drunk, put others at risk, and risk their own mortality. We need a commitment from every driver to keep the roads free of drunk drivers so that everyone can have a safe holiday.”
