The Detroit Police Department and other municipalities will be turning their efforts toward curbing drunk driving during the holiday season.
If you see an increased police presence on streets and highways throughout the state, don’t be alarmed. The Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign is in full effect, as we see an uptick in drunk driving incidents. The campaign, established by the NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) helps to prevent drunk driving from taking the lives of other innocent people. In Michigan, the campaign will run from Dec. 18 until Jan 1. 2020.
According to the NHTSA, most drunk driving incidents occur between midnight and 3 a.m. Also, drunk driving claims a life every 23 minutes. America has more drunk drivers than most countries have people. And every year, nearly 11,000 people on the road die from drunk driving.
In Michigan, 31.7 percent of 905 fatal crashes in 2018 involved alcohol. Last Christmas, 13 fatal accidents occurred, 9 of them being alcohol-related.
In 2018, a MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) statistic report revealed that Michigan ranked in the bottom 10 percent on a national scale. Michigan also received a 1 star on the 5-star rating scale. MADD Michigan Victim Services Manager Angel Harris stated that “Michigan is the second-worst state in the country when it comes to enacting drunk driving laws that are proven to save lives.”
The increase of police force to decrease drunk driving is a positive step forward for Michigan. As someone whose been personally affected by drunk driving, I understand the importance of having laws and the enforcement in place to avoid tragedies from occurring on the road. No one wants to deal with the loss of a loved one this season so do not drive drunk. If you need to, call an Uber or a Lyft to take you home. Or, call a trusted friend or loved one who will take care of you.
For more information on drunk driving, visit michigan.gov.
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