This Labor Day, and Every Day, Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over

Americans mark the end of summer with the Labor Day holiday weekend, a time to celebrate hard work and great achievements of our country. Friends and families eagerly await pool parties, backyard barbecues and other occasions to enjoy the last days of summer. Yet sadly, the Labor Day holiday has also become one of the deadliest, with drunk drivers endangering themselves and others while on the road. 

Fremont County law enforcement officers will be out to remove drunk drivers from the roads and save lives, and they will show zero tolerance for drunk driving. The high-visibility national enforcement campaign, Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over, has been ongoing since Aug. 17 and will be especially visible over the Labor Day weekend. Increased state and national messages about the dangers of driving impaired, coupled with enforcement and increased officers on the road, aims to drastically reduce drunk driving on our nation’s roadways. 

Sadly, the statistics prove that a lot of work remains to end drunk driving. According to NHTSA, 10,497 people were killed in drunk-driving crashes in 2016. On average, 10,000 people were killed each year from 2012-16—one person killed every 50 minutes in 2016. This is why Fremont County law enforcement officers are working with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to remind drivers that drunk driving is not only illegal, it is a matter of life and death. As you head out to Labor Day festivities, remember to Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over. 

Over the 2016 Labor Day holiday period (6 p.m. Sept. 2, to 5:59 a.m. Sept.  6), there were 433 crash fatalities nationwide. Of the fatal crashes, 36 percent involved drivers who were drunk (.08+ blood alcohol concentration (BAC)), and 25 percent involved drivers who were driving with a BAC almost twice the legal limit (.15+ BAC). Age is a particularly risky factor: Among the drivers between the ages of 18 and 34 who were killed in crashes over the Labor Day holiday period in 2016, 47 percent of those fatalities involved drunk drivers with BACs of .08 or higher.

“Our community needs to understand that it’s up to them to make the smart decision to drive sober, this Labor Day, and every day,” said Capt. Steven Sanders of the Wyoming Highway Patrol. “Drunk driving is a problem in our country, and the numbers are rising, little by little. This isn’t about writing tickets, it’s about getting the word out that drunk driving is illegal, and it kills. Please help us put an end to drunk driving.”  

There is a small, silver lining: During the 2016 Labor Day holiday, 36 percent of fatalities in traffic crashes involved a drunk driver, which was one of the lowest percentages on record. “There is still a lot of work to do,” said Capt. Sanders. “The trend for the Labor Day holiday is in a positive direction, but our goal is to have zero fatalities, always.”  

Fremont County law enforcement officers and NHTSA are reminding citizens of the many resources available to get them home safely. “Drunk driving is not acceptable,” said Capt. Sanders. “It is essential to plan a sober ride home before you ever leave for the party. That’s why, during the Labor Day weekend, we will make zero exceptions for drunk driving. There are just no excuses.”  

Fremont County law enforcement officers recommend these safe alternatives to drinking and driving:

• Remember it is never OK 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. 
• Download the Drive Sober Wyoming mobile app at http://www.wygcid.org/Smart_Phone_App.html.The app includes quick access to texting or calling a friend for a ride, plus a list of companies that can provide a safe ride home. Also included are Wyoming laws and penalties for driving under the influence, as well as information about the real cost of a DUI. 
• If you see a drunk driver on the road, contact law enforcement immediately.
• Have a friend who is about to drink and drive? Take the keys away and make arrangements to get your friend home safely. 

For information about WYDOT's work, contact WYDOT public relations specialist Cody Beers at (307) 431-1803.