The Chattanooga Police Department will be partnering with the Tennessee Governor’s Highway Safety Office to step up DUI enforcement from Wednesday to Sept. 7, surrounding the Labor Day holiday. The statewide Booze It and Lose It campaign is part of a national mobilization to prevent drunk driving.
Tennessee experienced 6,645 known alcohol-related crashes in 2014. That equates to an average of 18 people each day making the decision to get behind the wheel after they have been drinking.
“This is about preventing irresponsible and reckless driving,” said Lieutenant Adrian Gibb of the Chattanooga Police Department. “We strongly believe highly-visible, highly-publicized, and frequently-conducted campaigns lead to safer roadways,”
Drivers can expect to see increased state and national messaging about the dangers of driving drunk, coupled with checkpoints and increased officers on the road, aimed to drastically reduce the toll of drunk driving.
A single DUI conviction can cost an individual $5,000 or more in addition to jail time. Offenders could also be required to attend drug and alcohol treatment or to install an ignition interlock device in their vehicle.
For more information on traffic safety, visit www.tntrafficsafety.org.