ACPD Participating In 'Drive Sober Or Get Pulled Over' Campaign

ARLINGTON, VA - The holidays are a time for caring and sharing, which is why the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is partnering with the Arlington County Police Department to share important messaging about the dangers of drunk driving.

This holiday season, from Dec. 13, 2019, through Jan. 1, 2020, the Arlington County Police Department will participate in the high-visibility national enforcement campaign, Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over.

According to ACPD, the campaign aims to drastically reduce drunk driving on our nation’s roadways through a two-pronged approach of education and enforcement. Motorists can expect to see increased state and national messages about the dangers of driving impaired, coupled with enforcement and increased officers patrolling our roadways.

Sadly, the statistics prove that there is still a lot of work to do to put an end to drunk driving. According to NHTSA’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 10,511 people were killed nationally in drunk-driving crashes in 2018. On average, 10,000 people were killed each year from 2014 to 2018 — one person was killed in drunk-driving crashes every 50 minutes in 2018.

This is officers with the Arlington County Police Department say they are working with NHTSA to remind motorists that drunk driving is not only illegal, it is a matter of life and death.

The Arlington County Police Department encourages drivers to follow these tips to keep the holidays safe and happy:

• Remember that it is never okay to drink and drive. Even if you’ve had only one alcoholic beverage, designate a sober driver or plan to use public transportation or a ride sharing service to get home safely.
• If you see a suspected impaired driver on the roadway, report to your local law enforcement agency.
• Have a friend who is about to drink and drive? Take the keys away and make arrangements to get your friend home safely.
• The Washington Regional Alcohol Program’s 2019 Holiday SoberRide program is offering free rides home, in partnership with Lyft, from Friday, December 20, 2019 until Wednesday, January 1, 2020, nightly between 10:00 p.m. and 4:00 a.m.

As you head out to the holiday festivities, remember: Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over.