The Kentucky Office of Highway Safety (KOHS) and Kentucky State Police (KSP) is reminding motorists to be responsible behind the wheel as the “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign continues through Jan. 1, 2018.
“While the holiday season is a special time to visit with friends and family, many of these celebrations include alcohol,” said KOHS Executive Director Dr. Noelle Hunter. “Drunken driving-related crashes are 100-percent preventable. It just makes sense to plan for a designated driver before the party begins.”
Images of Santa with the slogan “He sees you when you’re drinking” are at gas stations and bars/restaurants in more than 60 cities throughout the state with higher-than-average drunken driving-related crashes. Additionally, mirror clings of jail bars are in various bars and restaurants, reflecting to potential offenders their arrested image behind bars. Patrons are encouraged to take a photo and post to social media that “#jailbars won’t happen to me because I chose to #planaride.”
“The campaign is a fun way to promote a serious message that if you don’t ‘plan a ride,’ it’s ‘jail bars’ for you.” said Hunter. “No matter what you choose – a sober friend, taxi service or ride booking company – we want you to arrive safely.”
The KOHS distributes federal grant money provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to increase law enforcement presence during designated holiday periods. According to NHTSA, high-visibility enforcement like the ‘Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over’ campaign reduces impaired driving fatalities by as much as 20 percent.
“While we always patrol for impaired drivers, we’ll have extra Troopers on the road as motorists travel to and from their Christmas and New Year’s celebrations,” said KSP Lt. Michael Webb. “Make no mistake—our message is simple. If you are caught driving impaired, you will be arrested. Please, make a plan for a designated driver before the party starts.”
In Kentucky, 25 drunken driving deaths and 327 injuries occurred during Christmas and New Year’s throughout the last five years.