DES MOINES – From late-August through Labor Day, city, county and state police will be out in force as part of the annual nationwide “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” crackdown on drunk driving. The crackdown, which will include high-visibility enforcement throughout Iowa, will run from August 26 through September 8, 2013.
The effective nationwide drunk driving crackdown will include high-visibility enforcement and will be supported by national paid advertising, creating a comprehensive campaign to curb drunk driving in August and through the Labor Day holiday weekend. Iowa ranks 2nd as having the lowest number of alcohol related fatalities in the nation.
While it is illegal to drive drunk (having a blood alcohol concentration of .08 or higher) in all 50 states, far too many people across the nation get behind the wheel after consuming too much alcohol. The latest statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration underscore the serious nature of the nation’s continuing drunk driving epidemic.
“Every year, about one third of all motor vehicle traffic deaths involve one or more drunk drivers or motorcycle operators,” said Colonel David Garrison – Chief of the Iowa State Patrol. “In 2011 9,878 people died across the nation in crashes involving drunk drivers. That is approximately one drunken driving fatality every 53 minutes.” During last year’s Labor Day Holiday, there were no reported alcohol related fatalities, however there were 4 fatalities.
“Research has shown that high-visibility enforcement like the “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign reduces drunken driving fatalities by as much as 20 percent. By joining this nationwide effort, we will make Iowa’s roadways safer for everyone throughout the Labor Day period,” said Colonel Garrison.
“Driving drunk is simply not worth the risk. So don’t take the chance. Remember, we will be out in force and we will be watching, so ‘Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over,’ said Colonel Garrison.
Interesting comments on how bad the penaltys are for drunk driving. I have a simple solution. Just don’t drive drunk, then you would have nothing to worry about. And please don’t say its ok to have a few and get behind the wheel. If you are going out to drink that’s fine with me…just make plans to get home safe, and there are a lot of options there. Knowing the penaltys why would you take the chance?
And if think its still ok to drive with just some impairment, talk to someone whos child, spouse, friend, relative, or family member has been killed or injured by a drunk driver….I guarantee you will feel differently on this subject.
@common sense man-Please read my post again. I said I am tough on obeying the law and I am. I do NOT in any way shape or form condone driving impaired. I was just pointing some of the never ending penalty’s that we have today and saying there must be a better way. I am in favor of a lobotomy for people like STEAL Panther and that other IDIOT that is to cowardly to post under his/her own name or even a on line name.
Lvs – Why can’t you just address the subject of a post and refrain from personal attack on people?
@just saying-And, why can’t you quit being a troll and sneaking around with your unsolisitaed comments? You are just another bottom feeder who just ca’t stand someone else having an opinion. The only positive thing that can be said about you is you seem to use the same log in name. I am willing to bet you are just one of those bossy people who has a ton of issues on your own, so you like to think you are better than everyone else. Go away TROLL, you are not worth the time.
lvs – why are you so afraid to be courteous and civil on here? When adults discuss things, they stick to the subject, and do not strike out at personalities. Try to be more adult, please.
I just took up drinking and driving again after at least a 20 year vacation. I mean it’s so crazy to me you can be buzzed on beer and still drive, yet have your life destroyed over a pot bust that I feel it’s my duty to take you up on it.
After some tolerance, it’s amazing how many beers I can drink before you get technically over. Only thing is the need to pee like a Russian race race so if you see a vehicle stopped with a guy taking a piss, it might possibly be me.
LVS – Why is it that every time you get put in a corner on a question the question suddenly, in your words, has “NoValue”? Is it because you think you are never wrong? Just wondering.
Oh sometimes he ADMITS he may possibly be wrong sure he does…
…then it’s right back to same behavior the NEXT day.
@Steal-you are such a trip. Oh, that’s right, you are always tripping. Sober up and then come back and we will discuss it.
@LVS – You state that you hope the cops catch all the pot head and druggers, too. Yet on Aug. 21, 2013 @2:00pm in a post to “Branstad’s trooper-driver skips court, is convicted” you stated that
“I see cops breaking the law all the time.” So I guess I need clarification on this. You see cops breaking the law all the time, and you must approve since you don’t mention calling other law enforcement on them, yet you want the pot head and druggers caught. Do I correctly understand that you feel it’s all right for the cops to break the law? Please respond. I find this fascinating.
@just saying-what good would it do to call other law enforcement. They wouldn’t do anything anyway and you know it. So your question has no value. At least when the police are speeding they are sober and in control of their vehicle. One hell of a difference from driving drunk or high.
“Do I correctly understand that you feel it’s all right for the cops to break the law?”
The answer is YES!~
@Steel – Thank you.
Always love these stories that talk about government “cracking down on citizens”
The law enforcement is so over the top in Cerro Gordo county. They have ruined ALL small town festivals with over the top enforcement! Stopping people for no reason, sitting outside, hell, walking through bars to see who they can follow home. Last year 22 police, patrol, sherrif, etc at the Rockwell street dance for a couple hundred people.
Last week during Rock Falls fun days, parking in front of the bar, basically blocking people from going in to watch the band after the owner had paid hundreds of dollars to get them.
22 cops at a street dance? Do you think we have a few TOO MANY government employees?
@sad but true-way to many government employees thanks to Obama. That will probably change.
I certainly hope they catch all the pot head and druggers too. As soon as I find out who Steal Panther is I intend to turn him in to the authority’s. He/ she is an admitted felon driving high every day and endangering innocent people in the process.
Really????????
You are lying. I told you I DIDN’T INHALE.
and you didn’t have sex with monica either, see how well that turned out
LVS Don’t get your cape caught in any doors.
@Anonymous-my cape, as you put it won’t get anyone else killed and the idiots that drive drunk or especially high certainly will. Do you condone drunk or impaired driving? Come on now, tell the truth.
Drunk driving laws are draconian at best. I don’t condone impaired driving but I also don’t think financially ruining people to keep law enforcement coffers full is the answer either. There used to be a time where law enforcement’s main duty was to look out for the public, now it just charges and fines.
@Anonymous-Now that I can agree with you on. It is nothing but a revenue stream for them and has nothing to do with looking out for the public. Was a time when the cop would take your keys away and take you home. Today, they call a tow truck which cost a lot and haul you off to jail.
@Anonymous, you said there used to be a time when the cops looked out for the public, what if the next drunk that the cops let go kills you or your family, I’ll bet you would be wishing the cop would have arrested him. I have no respect for drunk drivers, 1st offence a huge fine, 2nd offence jail, 3rd offence capitol punishment.
I never said let them go.
@maybe-I am going to go out on a limb here. I am pretty tough on obeying the law but, I think they have gone to far with the penalty unless there is a injury or death involved. Today, not only do they pay a massive fine (well beyond the means of a lot of people) and that just means it never get paid. They tack on all types of stuff like Prairie Ridge and other courses that they have no way to pay for. They tack on SR/22 and their insurance goes up, so they drive without it. If they get a breath analyser that cost them another $100 p/ mo. Then they take away their license which means they now have no way to go to work, so they go on welfare and still don’t pay the fines, so now they drive without a license and get caught, and they get fined again and it goes on and on. It happens all the time. I had a lot of them that worked for me at my last job. Meanwhile, they don’t pay taxes, get into drugs and now go big time. It just feeds on itself. There should be a better way.
LVS -Very well said & very true!