Transportation Dept. Kicks Off New Drunk Driving Crackdown

By Tim Young

Just in time for the Holidays, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood kicked off a national crackdown on drunk driving known as “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” today.

The program, which is supported by Mothers Against Drunk Driving, aims to continue to lower the numbers of drunk driving related accidents throughout the U.S. during not only the holiday season, but the rest of the year.

“Safety is our focus year round at DOT. But this holiday season, we’re stepping up our efforts to get drunk drivers off our roads and reminding Americans ‘drive sober, or get pulled over,’” said Secretary LaHood. “We’re making gains in our fight against drunk driving, but we cannot and will not let up.”

According to the Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there has been a drop in drunk driving deaths in 32 states, DC and Puerto Rico throughout 2010. 

The winter crackdown on drunk driving will include a $7 million advertisement campaign that will run December 16 through January 2.  These advertisements are similar to those from the summer months which featured an invisible police officer arresting drunken would-be motorists.

All 50 states and the District of Columbia currently prohibit driving with a blood alcohol concentration over .08.