DES MOINES, Iowa — The Fourth of July is a time for celebration, full of backyard cookouts, pool parties and fireworks. The buzz of a drink is not needed to feel the thrill of summer holiday festivities but if you do indulge, plan for a sober ride home.
The Iowa Governor’s Traffic Safety Bureau (GTSB) is partnering with local law enforcement for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over high-visibility enforcement campaign July 1-5.
The primary goal of the increased law enforcement presence is to prevent tragedies previously seen around the July Fourth holiday.
Annually, about one-third of all traffic fatalities are related to alcohol impairment. In Iowa last year, 57% of the July Fourth holiday weekend traffic fatalities were alcohol related, according to IDOT Preliminary Holiday Traffic Fatality Data and the NHTSA.
There are plenty of options to help impaired drivers get home safely: designate a sober driver, schedule a taxi/ rideshare or use your community’s sober ride program. A few dollars spent on a ride is a lot cheaper than an OWI, which can cost thousands of dollars.
“We want people to enjoy the holiday and to celebrate responsibly,” says GTSB Bureau Chief Brett Tjepkes. “Drunk driving endangers those behind the wheel, their passengers and other people on the road. Our law enforcement partners know how to spot an impaired driver and will not hesitate to pull them over. If you’re going to drink, plan for a sober ride.”
The GTSB works with city, county, state and local organizations to develop and implement strategies to reduce deaths and injuries on Iowa’s roadways using federal funding.
