Federal, state and local law officers announced a new campaign today (Wednesday)targeting drunk drivers. Jim Green, a deputy administrator in the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, made the announcement the Des Moines State Patrol Post.
Green says the new campaign is designed to bring awareness to the hazards and consequences of driving under the influence and is called: “Drunk Driving, Over the Limit, Under Arrest.” Green says they’ll conduct a public awareness campaign with ads, and law officers will focus attention on drunk drivers from Friday (August 18th) through September 4th.
Green says law officers across Iowa and the country will be cracking down on people who choose to drink too much and then drive. “So, During this Labor Day holiday season, let’s drive safe and drive sober.”
Iowa Public Safety Commissioner Kevin Techau says Iowa has shown the country how focusing on drunk driving can have results. Techau says since the Governor and Legislature moved to lower the legal blood alcohol content for drunk driving in 2004 to point-zero-eight, there was a record low number of traffic fatalities related to alcohol in 2004 and 2005.
Techau says Iowa is second in the country for the lowest number of traffic accidents connected to alcohol. Techau says even though Iowa has done a good job — law officers will work to do even better. Techau says next to lack of seatbelt use, alcohol related accidents are the second highest cause of traffic fatalities, and that’s the reason for the extra holiday enforcement. Techau says, “If you’re driving drunk, if you’re over the limit, you will be arrested. No exceptions, no excuses.”
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is spending 11-million dollars on the campaign to try and stop drunk drivers. For more information, surf to: www.StopImpairedDriving.org.
Related web sites:
Tips for stopping drunk driving