‘Drive Sober or get Pulled Over’ Wisconsin State Patrol’s campaign

Wisconsin State Patrol is beginning their ‘Drive Sober or get Pulled Over’ campaign. The state troopers are looking to help prevent impaired driving. According to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, in 2022 nearly 500,000 drivers had their first impaired driving conviction.

Sgt. Tatsuo Anduze-Bell, of the Wisconsin State Patrol, said the ‘Drive Sober or get Pulled Over’ is also a nationwide campaign. “The mission of the whole campaign is really to enhance public safety and prevent needless tragedies by discouraging people from making the dangerous and responsible decision to get behind the wheel while impaired”.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, drunk drivers involved in fatal car crashes are 4.5 times more likely to have a prior conviction for DWI compared to drivers with no alcohol in their system.

“In Wisconsin, someone’s either injured or killed in an impaired driving crash, every 2 hours in Wisconsin,” Sgt. Anduze-Bell said. “More than 7,000 impaired crashes in which 184 people lost their lives as a result.”

Sgt. Anduze-Bell explained in past years, Wisconsin on average had nearly 2000 car accidents involving drugs. “We continue to see problems with drunk drivers as well in a person’s ability to drive safely is compromised under any illegal substances, or sometimes prescription. Another problem we’re seeing also in the state is a rise in drugged drivers of a person’s ability to drive safely.”

Finally, if you plan on going out and drinking with friends or family make a plan to have a sober driver, have a ride share option, or make sleeping arrangements ahead of time.

Sgt. Anduze-Bell said said prevention is the key in making sure no one drinking alcohol gets behind the wheel. “If someone suspects that there’s an impaired driver in front of them on the road safely, gather as much information as you can about the vehicle while the driver and location where you’re at, and then call 911 and provide that information.”

For more information about the Wisconsin State Patrol’s campaign you can read more here. For other stories happening in Wisconsin you can read more here.