FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  Wednesday, August 26, 2009

CONTACT:  James Carpenter, Office of Highway Safety, 605.773.3178       

 

                       

Pierre, SD – Nearly 25 companies statewide are taking extra steps this Labor Day to keep their employees safe. They’re including a safety message with their electronic and paper paystubs this pay cycle – reminding their employees not to drink and drive over the Labor Day weekend.

 

“On a personal level, we care about our employees. On a professional level, employees are our biggest assest. We not only want them to be safe and healthy; we need them to be safe and healthy,” said Paul Muth, Muth Electric, Inc. of Mitchell.

 

“Drunk driving crashes are completely preventable. Getting these safety messages to our employees is an easy way to remind all of our employees to make responsible and safe decisions,” said Barbara Ohme, Raven Industries of Sioux Falls.

 

Muth Electric and Raven Industries along with more than 20 other companies and the South Dakota Safety Council have forged a relationship with the South Dakota Office of Highway Safety to help encourage safe driving habits. Those companies are located in Alcester, Britton, Brookings, Huron, Lead, Mitchell, Pierre, Rapid City, Sioux Falls, Watertown, and Yankton.

 

“This Labor Day reminder will reach more than 11,000 workers statewide,” said James Carpenter, Director of the South Dakota Office of Highway Safety. “Hopefully they’ll take the message to heart and help us meet our goal of preventing drunk driving.”

This Labor Day partnership effort is part of the national Drunk Driving. Over the Limit. Under Arrest. crackdown. The crackdown runs through September 7 and is also marked by increased sobriety checkpoints and saturation patrols.

 

Last year in South Dakota, more than 11,000 people were arrested for drunk driving.