(Decatur County, IN) – Local police agencies will be out in force over the next week and are encouraging you to drive sober throughout the Thanksgiving holiday weekend.
The Decatur County Traffic Safety Partnership (TSP) and other law enforcement agencies across the state are ramping up patrols to make sure you get to and from festivities safely as part of an initiative organized by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) through the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute (ICJI).
“This holiday season, we expect to see a lot of traffic on the roads. Please make smart decisions by not mixing drinking and driving,” said Devon McDonald, Executive Director of the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute. “Be proactive and plan for a sober driver.”
According to NHTSA, impaired driving and fatal crashes spike during the Thanksgiving holiday. In 2021, 190 people around the country died in alcohol-impaired driving crashes from the day before Thanksgiving to the Monday following the holiday.
Over a four-year period from 2017 to 2021, 137 drivers nationwide were involved in fatal alcohol-impaired crashes on the night before Thanksgiving.
In 2021 alone, 36 drivers in fatal crashes were alcohol impaired.
The Decatur County TSP reminds people that impaired driving is a matter of life and death.
“The idea of Blackout Wednesday is really a shame,” said Sheriff Bill Meyerrose. “We understand that people want to have a good time, but memories should last a lifetime, not be over before they start. We want everyone to make it to the Thanksgiving table.”
During the initiative, officers will be on the roads on high alert for impaired drivers.
You are encouraged to plan ahead by designating a sober driver or by using public transportation or a ride service such as Uber or Lyft.
Officers say you should never drive impaired or let friends get behind the wheel if they’ve been drinking.
“By working together, we can save lives and make sure there are no empty places at the Thanksgiving table this year,” safety officials said.
For more information on impaired driving, please visit https://www.nhtsa.gov/risky-driving/drunk-driving.
