Nationwide crackdown on drunken driving begins today

August 17, 2007

Wisconsin law enforcement officers out in force from Aug. 17-Sept. 3

Approximately 313 law enforcement agencies throughout Wisconsin will join a nationwide crackdown on drunken driving from Aug. 17 through Sept. 3

The "Drunk Driving. Over the Limit. Under Arrest" crackdown will combine intensified law enforcement through Labor Day with a federally funded media campaign to deter impaired driving.

Last year, alcohol-related crashes in Wisconsin killed 305 people and injured nearly 6,000. A person is killed or injured in alcohol-related crash in Wisconsin approximately every 88 minutes, according to the Wisconsin State Patrol Bureau of Transportation Safety, which is sponsoring the crackdown statewide.

"We hope that more people will voluntarily make the responsible decision not to drive unless they're sober," said Wisconsin State Patrol Superintendent David Collins. "But if they make the irresponsible choice to get behind the wheel while impaired, we'll be ready to arrest them. We also ask that drivers report any drunken drivers they see to a law enforcement agency. Too many people, too many families, and too many communities are devastated everyday by drunken drivers. And this careless disregard for human life must be stopped."

To prevent drunken driving, the Wisconsin State Patrol offers the following suggestions:

• Choose a sober designated driver before starting to drink.
• If you're feeling buzzed, you probably are over the 0.08 (blood/breath alcohol concentration) limit and should not drive.
• Take mass transit, a taxicab or ask a sober friend to drive you home.
• Some taverns and restaurants have programs to provide patrons with a safe ride home. (Visit www.tlw.org or www.roadcrewonline.org for more information)

For more information:
Dennis Hughes, Bureau of Transportation Safety
(608) 267-9075

Janet Nodorft, Bureau of Transportation Safety
(608) 266-0550