By Officer Noah Curl
This Labor Day remember: drive sober or get pulled over.
The Urbana Police Division shows zero tolerance in its goal to end drunk driving.
With the Labor Day weekend near, families and friends will be celebrating the end of the summer together.
Sadly, this festive time has also become a dangerous time upon America’s roads, as many drunk drivers choose to get behind the wheel and drive after celebrating. One of the deadliest and most often committed — yet preventable — crimes, impaired driving, has become a serious safety epidemic in our country.
For this reason, the Urbana Police Division is partnering with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to be on the lookout for and to stop drunk drivers to help save lives. The high-visibility national enforcement campaign, Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over, runs Aug. 16-Sept. 4, 2023.
During this period, local law enforcement will show zero tolerance for impaired or drunk driving. Increased state and national messaging about the dangers of driving drunk and increased officers on the roadways will aim to drastically reduce impaired driving on our nation’s roads.
Drunk driving is a massive problem in the United States, with more than 13,000 people dying annually. Drivers need to pay attention to their own driving, but also to other drivers on the road who could be driving drunk. If you think you see a drunk driver, call us and let us know.
This is important to remember: do not trust yourself when you drink, you may think you aren’t drunk, but law enforcement will know you are. Law enforcement officers’ skills in detecting and identifying drunk drivers have never been better. They will spot you and arrest you.
Please: plan ahead before you go out. Designate a sober driver, but whatever you do, do not drink and drive. This August, and every day, remember: there is never an excuse to drink and drive. If you choose to break the law, the Urbana Police Division will see you before you see them. Drive sober or get pulled over.
Officer Noah Curl is Traffic Safety Officer for the Urbana Police Division
