As with any holiday comes an increased risk in safety and impaired drivers on the roads. December is no different, and can also bring increased risks with snow, ice, and freezing temperatures on the roads.
The Holiday “Booze It and Lose it” Campaign, conducted by the North Carolina Department of Transportation, is now in effect in North Carolina. The campaign will last until Jan. 2, 2013, and will have extra state and local law enforcement officers out in an effort to remove impaired drivers from the road. Checkpoints and stepped-up patrols will also be conducted throughout the period.
According to the N.C. Department of Transportation, there were more than 950 alcohol-related crashes in North Carolina during the 2011 holiday campaign, which ran from Dec. 3 through Jan. 2., resulting in 44 fatalities and 702 injuries. During the 2011 campaign, officers also charged over 3,500 North Carolina motorists with driving while impaired.
For more information about the “Booze it and Lose It” campaign, visit the NC DOT Website.