GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) – The Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign is back across Wisconsin, meaning you’ll see more enforcement across Brown County.
“About every 3 hours in Wisconsin, someone’s injured or killed in an alcohol related crash…In Brown County alone in 2019, we had 194 crashes with 84 people injured. Luckily, we only have one person that was killed from a drugged driver,” said Brown County Sheriff’s Captain Dan Sandberg. “This year we have 196 crashes and 97 injuries, and unfortunately, 10 out of the 15 fatal crashes that we’ve had this year involved drugs and alcohol.”
While there is the .08 blood-alcohol content limit, it doesn’t always take that many drinks to impair a person’s judgment or driving ability.
“Any question at all about their sobriety, it’s probably too late and they should probably find a ride home. There’s a lot of programs out there,” Sandberg told WTAQ News. “Plan for it. So identify a sober designated driver to begin with and allow that person to drive people around to their destinations with this upcoming holiday season.”
Download the free “Drive Sober” mobile app from the WisDOT website. The app includes a “find a ride” feature to help locate mass transit and taxi services. Some taverns and restaurants also have programs like the Tavern League’s Safe Ride option to help patrons get home.
“You may think that you’re okay or you can sneak one home, but there’s no guarantees that you’re not can get pulled over. Or you might get in a crash, and then you’re going to get caught that way,” Sandberg said.
Many people might think they’re doing just fine because they aren’t drinking and driving themselves. But it’s still important to stay attentive and buckle up.
“Protect yourself and your passengers every time you travel. So make sure you wear your seat belt, because it’s extremely important. You may be sober, but there might be a drunk driver out there that might unfortunately strike your vehicle,” Sandberg said.
Each department across Brown County will have extra patrols out, and there will be a combined OWI Task Force. That task force utilized pooled resources from a handful of local agencies, which will focus on more saturated areas to ensure there is an active presence and let people know there are squads driving around the vicinity.
The Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over Campaign runs through New Year’s Day.
