With summer wrapping up and Labor Day around the corner, many of us will be looking for that final summer bash before the kids or college students head back to school, and we prepare for fall to begin. That being said, when people are more active than usual, that means local law enforcement has to step their game up too, and this time is no different.
That would be because it’s that time of year when the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)launches its first of two Drive Sober, Get Pulled Over campaigns looking to raise awareness for drivers who are driving drunk or high.
Why The NHTSA Targets August
As I mentioned earlier, plenty of people are looking to end summer with one last hurrah, whether that mean taking a trip or having a night out on the town. While driving under the influence is a problem all year round, the NHTSA specfically target Labor Day because drunk driving experiences a peak in activity.
In 2023, 511 people died in traffic crashes during the Labor Day weekend, with 36% (185) of those crashes involving a drunk driver. Among these crashes, 45% of the drivers were between the ages of 18 and 34.
Peter Simshauser, the NHTSA’s Chief Counsel, pointed that impaired driving is totally preventable,and that’s what makes these accidents so heartbreaking:…