Brownsville Police Department

Launches Drunk Driving, Over the Limit, Under Arrest Crackdown on December 16, 2009 through January 3, 2010

Major Enforcement Effort Seeks to Save Lives

Drunk driving is one of America’s deadliest crimes. In 2008, 11,773 people died in highway crashes involving a driver or motorcycle rider with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 or higher. The picture for women is particularly concerning. Twenty-one percent of the 5,473 female drivers killed in crashes in 2008 had BAC levels of .08 or higher.

That is why the Brownsville Tennessee Police Department announced recently they are joining with thousands of other law enforcement and highway safety agencies across the nation from December 16 to January 3, 2010, to take part in the Drunk Driving. Over the Limit. Under Arrest. Crackdown on impaired driving.

“Make no mistake. Our message is simple. No matter who you are or what you drive, if we catch you driving impaired, we will arrest you. No exceptions. No excuses,” said Lt. Barry Diebold. “We will be out in force conducting sobriety checkpoints, saturation patrols and using undercover officers to get more drunk drivers off the road—and save lives that might otherwise be lost.”

“Drunk driving is simply not worth the risk. Not only do you risk killing yourself or someone else, but the trauma and financial costs of a crash or an arrest for impaired driving can be significant,” adds Lt. Diebold. “Violators often face jail time, the loss of their driver’s license, higher insurance rates, attorney fees, time away from work, and dozens of other expenses. So don’t take the chance. Remember, if you are over the limit, you are under arrest.”

The national Drunk Driving, Over the Limit, Under Arrest, impaired driving crackdown is a deterrence program organized by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) that focuses on combining high-visibility enforcement with heightened public awareness through advertising and publicity.

This December’s effort is supported by $7.5 million in paid-national advertising to help put everyone on notice that if they are caught driving impaired, they will be arrested.

For more information, visit www.Stopimpaireddriving.org.