Americans will soon celebrate the birth and freedoms of this country during Independence Day, and BNPD wants to emphasize the need to ensure a sober way home from your festivities. The Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign, supported by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), will take place surrounding the holiday. Citizens should expect to see increased enforcement on the roads and zero tolerance for impaired driving.
Lt. Don Robertson of BNPD said the campaign is a way for the department to further protect the residents of Benton and surrounding areas.
“It’s essential that our community members understand the risks of drinking and driving, along with other types of impaired driving,” he said. It’s never acceptable to get behind the wheel of a vehicle after you’ve been drinking or consuming other intoxicants. Doing so endangers you and everyone on the road with you.”
NHTSA documented 10,142 people killed in motor vehicle crashes in 2019 that involved alcohol-impaired drivers. Additionally, alcohol impairment among drivers was responsible for 38 percent of the 515 lives lost in 2019 nighttime July 4th holiday crashes.
“Have a designated sober driver if you plan to consume alcohol,” said Robertson. “If you don’t have a designated driver, call a taxi or a friend to pick you up, and always remember to buckle up. Also, if you see a drunk driver on the road, always call 911.”
For more information on impaired driving, visit https://www.nhtsa.gov/risky-driving/drunk-driving or call the Arkansas Highway Safety Office at 501-618-8136.