Sobriety NDHPJamestown  (CSi, NDHP)  – Driving while under the influence of alcohol needs to stop—that’s the message from North Dakota law enforcement and the North Dakota Department of Transportation (NDDOT). Throughout the month of June, fifty law enforcement agencies across the state will participate in the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign, by adding extra patrols to be on alert for impaired drivers to keep our roads safe.

Consuming alcohol reduces your ability to distinguish objects, especially at night, even when under the legal limit of .08 blood alcohol content (BAC). To publicize this increased enforcement and bring awareness to the severity of this driving behavior, NDDOT is introducing the “Blurred Lines” campaign.

“Blurred vision is a visual theme in our campaign—but we want to emphasize that you need to hand over the keys long before it comes to that,” said Karin Mongeon, Safety Division Director at NDDOT. “The point at which you decide to have a sober driver shouldn’t be blurred either. It needs to be clear that if you plan to drink alcohol, designate a sober driver before you start drinking.”

Along with the North Dakota Highway Patrol (NDHP), participating law enforcement agencies include the Sheriffs’ Departments in Dickey, Eddy, Foster, LaMoure, Logan and Stutsman counties, and Police Departments in Carrington, Jamestown, Oakes and Valley City.

“We all know better than to drink and drive, but some people still believe it’s okay to take that risk. Like your vision, your judgment gets impaired and the line gets blurred,” said Carrington Police Chief Randy Munkeby. “Be clear ahead of time whether you will drink or whether you will drive. When you are celebrating this month, make sure everyone has a sober ride home.”

Last year in North Dakota, 44 percent of all fatalities in motor vehicle crashes were alcohol-related. From 2005 to 2014, an average of about 62 people a year died in crashes in North Dakota where alcohol was involved. These are lives that could have been saved as driving under the influence is 100 percent preventable.

 

Funding for high-intensity impaired driving enforcement is provided by the North Dakota Department of Transportation in order to prevent impaired driving crashes. Learn more about the efforts to reduce roadway deaths and serious injuries at ndcodefortheroad.org or join the conversation on the Code for the Road Facebook or Twitter page. Memorials to individuals killed by impaired drivers in North Dakota can be viewed at ndcodefortheroad.org/memorial.