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Drive Sober or Get Pulled over in Wisconsin
With the holiday hustle here, Wisconsin law enforcement officers will participate in the annual, nationwide Driver Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign.
MILWAUKEE - With the holiday hustle here, and folks gearing up to get on the road, Wisconsin law enforcement officers will be on patrol in hopes of cutting down on crashes and decreasing deaths.
Driver Sober campaign
Local perspective:
AAA said more than 100 million people will be driving for year-end trips, but before the tires turn, law enforcement agencies want to make sure drivers aren't drunk.
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"We're trying to make those traffic stops, trying to stop those impaired drivers, before they end in tragedy," said Anna Schopp, a Wisconsin State Patrol trooper.
Wisconsin State Patrol
Schopp said the Wisconsin State Patrol is focusing on the annual, nationwide Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign. It's a push to educate people about the dangers of driving drunk, and it includes extra patrols.
"It's just important for all of us out on the road that everybody gets to where they need to go," she said, and get there safely.
Impaired driving in Wisconsin
By the numbers:
Schopp said, during the last holiday season, Wisconsin saw 403 crashes that involved impaired drivers. Nine people died, and 169 people were injured, in those crashes – sobering statistics that the trooper said can be avoided.
"Alcohol may affect everybody differently, so if you think that you might be impaired, you probably are," said Schopp.
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What you can do:
Schopp said a blood alcohol content of 0.08 will get you arrested. She said, when patrolling, they look for things like very slow or very high speeds, driving at night with lights off, and lane deviation. She encourages people to use ridsehare services or sober drivers if needed.
"Do what you can to prevent that impaired driver from driving. If you can, safely remove the vehicles, have a conversation with them, and just make sure they don't get behind the wheel and start driving," she said.
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Why you should care:
Schopp also asks drivers to call 911 if they see impaired drivers on the road. She said an OWI can cost you up to $10,000, a night in jail and possibly someone's life.
The Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign runs through Jan. 1.
The Source: FOX6 News interviewed Schopp and reviewed the Driver Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign.