BALTIMORE, MD—The holiday season is upon us, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is reminding drivers to plan ahead for sober rides home. The agency’s annual “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign kicked off today, aiming to reduce drunk and impaired driving over the holidays.

“Alcohol-impaired driving remains a leading cause of fatal traffic crashes in the United States, especially during the holiday season,” the NHTSA said in a press release. In 2022, alcohol-impaired driving crashes killed 13,524 people, accounting for 32 percent of traffic fatalities. That’s an average of one person dying every 39 minutes in an alcohol-impaired driving crash.

This year’s campaign emphasizes the importance of planning ahead for sober rides home, with the tagline “Don’t Pass on a Sober Ride.” The NHTSA is also promoting the message “If You Feel Different, You Drive Different. Drive High, Get a DUI.” This initiative aligns with the Department’s National Roadway Safety Strategy, a comprehensive approach to significantly reducing serious injuries and deaths on our nation’s highways, roads, and streets with the goal of reaching zero road fatalities.

The campaign, running from Dec. 11, 2024, to Jan. 1, 2025, features TV, radio, and digital ads backed by a $14 million national media buy. The NHTSA is also working with law enforcement officers across the country to prevent alcohol- and drug-impaired driving.

NHTSA Deputy Administrator Sophie Shulman launched the campaign at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum alongside Col. Jeff Glover, Arizona DPS Director and NOBLE President; Matt Leinart, Heisman Trophy winner and Fox Sports college football analyst; and Tara Repka Flores, an impaired driving prevention advocate.

“I urge everyone to do their part to help save lives this holiday season. Plan a safe and sober ride home,” said Shulman. “If you drive impaired by alcohol or drugs, you’re putting yourself and others around you at risk, and the consequences can be devastating. Let’s make this holiday season a memorable one for all the right reasons.”

This article was written with the assistance of AI and reviewed by a human editor.

Photo by Burak Kebapci from Pexels