Yes, it’s Good News…. The life that’s saved may be _______ (fill in the blank)
As part of the National Drunk Driving Campaign, “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over,” Iowa law enforcement officers, including the Jefferson police department and the Greene County sheriff’s office, will beef up their commitment to saving lives on Iowa’s streets and highways. This initiative is part of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) effort to save lives by focusing on drunk/drugged drivers.
Together with law enforcement agencies across the nation, Iowa will have more than 250 city, county and state law enforcement agencies participating in this heightened enforcement event beginning Aug. 25-Sept. 7.
“Driving drunk or drugged is a life threatening undertaking not only for those who do it, but for all of those who use Iowa’s roadways,” says JPD sergeant Nick Sorensen. One of the deadliest and most often committed, yet preventable of crimes, drunk driving, has become a serious safety epidemic in our country.
Sorensen added, “Through high visibility enforcement, officers will remain vigilant, not only addressing drunken driving issues, but all traffic violations. Our number one goal is to save lives.” Last year in Iowa, there were 317 citizens who died in motor vehicle crashes and 75 of those were attributed to drivers impaired by alcohol or other drugs.
According to the Iowa Department of Transportation, there were four fatalities during the three-day Labor Day Holiday last year, one of which was alcohol related. Crash data has shown in the past five years the months of August and September are the most deadliest months of the year.
For additional information, go to www.iowagtsb.org or www.nhtsa.dot.gov.
