FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Thursday, December 1, 2005

CONTACT: Stephanie Tveidt, Public Information Officer, 605.773.3212

South Dakota law enforcement cracks down on drunk drivers during holiday You Drink and Drive. You Lose campaign

PIERRE, S.D. – December is National Drunk & Drugged Driving (3D) Prevention month, and state and local law enforcement will be out in full force cracking down on drunk drivers this holiday season.

“The holiday season between Thanksgiving and New Year’s is one of the deadliest and most dangerous times of the year due to an increase in drunk driving,” said Public Safety Secretary Tom Dravland. “We want to save lives, and public safety officials will be working overtime to educate South Dakotans about safe driving. We will also increase our sobriety checkpoints and saturation patrols to catch and arrest anyone who is driving drunk.”

“Our message is simple: You Drink and Drive. You Lose,” said Col. Dan Mosteller, Highway Patrol superintendent. “We know there are going to be holiday celebrations and office parties this time of year where alcohol is consumed. Anyone drinking alcohol should always designate a sober driver before the parties begin.”

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 1,210 people across America, just during the month of December 2004, were killed in highway crashes involving a driver with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) level of .01 or higher, of those, 1,054 had an illegal BAC level of .08 or above.

According to the South Dakota Department of Public Safety, in 2004, 233 drivers died on South Dakota’s roads; 42 (18 percent) had an illegal BAC level of .08 or above. During December 2004, 19 drivers died in crashes; 2 (11 percent) had an illegal BAC level or above.

“We believe personal responsibility along with increased law enforcement during the holiday season helps reduce the number of alcohol-related crashes,” said Roy Meyer, South Dakota Highway Safety director. “Our goal is to eliminate alcohol-related fatalities on our roadways during the 2005 holiday season.”

Important tips to avoid a tragic crash or an arrest include:

·          Always plan ahead and designate a sober driver

·          Do not let friends drive drunk

·          Report drunk drivers to law enforcement by calling 9-1-1

·          If you’ve consumed alcohol, call a taxi, use mass transit, or call a sober friend or family member to get you home safely

·          Spend the night where the activity is being held and sleep it off

·          Always buckle up - it’s your best defense against an drunk driver

“Driving drunk is serious and against the law,” said Col. Dan Mosteller. “In South Dakota, we have zero tolerance. Designate a sober driver before you drink alcohol or You Drink and Drive. You Lose,” Mosteller said.

For more information about the importance of stopping drunk driving, please visit www.stopimpaireddriving.org.

South Dakota Department of Public Safety’s mission is to keep South Dakota a safe place to live, work, visit and raise a family. Visit www.state.sd.us/dps for more information about the department and its agencies.

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MEDIA NOTE: Please contact your local Highway Patrol Office if you’d like to do an interview regarding the material in this release:

District One: Aberdeen, Huron, Watertown – Capt. Olerud, 605.626.2286 

District Two: Sioux Falls, Vermillion, Mitchell, Brookings, Chamberlain – Lt. Kevin Joffer, 605.367.5700 

District Three: Rapid City – Capt. Greg Ingemunson, 605.394.2286 

State Headquarters: Pierre – Col. Dan Mosteller, 605.773.3105