National Drunk Driving Crackdown to Begin December 16

December 2009

Think twice before you enjoy your holiday refreshments in the coming weeks. The Department of Transportation will join forces with the Governors Highway Safety Association and the Office of National Drug Control Policy to crackdown on drunk driving beginning December 16.

The effort will last through January 3 and will include a mix of traditional methods, like increased checkpoints, and the following new innovations: police Twitter alerts, an iPhone app that estimates blood-alcohol levels, and ads on XBox 360. Last year, 11,773 people died nationally in accidents where the driver's blood alcohol content was 0.08 or higher.

Individual states can customize their programs. Operation Safe Holiday program began in Pennsylvania this month, combining the efforts of state police and 600 municipal forces. Increased checkpoints throughout the state will target drunk driving, aggressive driving, speeding, and unbuckled drivers.