Don’t spoil the holidays by driving home impaired

The month of merriment is here and with it, another season of holiday celebrations. Don’t cut the party short by driving impaired – it is dangerous, reckless and never the only option. The Wisconsin State Patrol’s December Law of the Month, brings attention to impaired driving laws and encourages motorists to find safe ways to get to their destinations this holiday season.

“Across the state, Wisconsinites are celebrating the holidays and the end of another year,” said Wisconsin State Patrol superintendent Tim Carnahan. “We encourage everyone to take responsibility and plan ahead if you plan to celebrate.”

On average, someone is injured or killed in an impaired driving crash, every two hours, in Wisconsin. In 2023, there were over 7,700 impaired driving crashes, that claimed the lives of 186 people on Wisconsin roads.

In Wisconsin, drivers are prohibited from operating any vehicle with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of more than 0.08. Under Wisconsin’s “not a drop” law, drivers under age 21 are prohibited from having any detectable amount of alcohol in their system.

Drivers also may not have any illegal drugs in their system when behind the wheel.

Motorists who refuse a blood/breath alcohol test, will lose their license for at least one year, and may have their vehicle impounded.

Over 7,500 law enforcement officers across the state, are trained in Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement (ARIDE). This helps law enforcement detect impaired drivers and get them off the road.

With almost 400 Drug Recognition Experts (DREs) across the state, Wisconsin is helping lead the nation, in eliminating drug-impaired driving. DREs help prevent tragedies by identifying the signs of drug-impaired driving and securing convictions to keep them off the roads.

The Wisconsin State Patrol is continuing to highlight the danger that impaired driving poses, throughout the holiday season, with its Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign. Running from Dec. 13, 2024, through Jan. 1, 2025, Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over is an annual holiday partnership with local law enforcement, to keep Wisconsin roads safe and free of impaired drivers.

Driving impaired carries serious consequences. Operating While Intoxicated (OWI) charges can cost around $10,000.

Select a sober designated driver ahead of time. If feeling impaired, a person is likely over the 0.08 Blood Alcohol Concentration limit and should not drive.

Remember there are options: take the bus, call a taxi, use a rideshare or ask a sober friend to drive. If there’s a friend who is about to drive under the influence, step in. Take away their keys and get them home safely.

If someone suspects a driver is impaired, safely gather as much information as possible about the vehicle, driver and location, then call 911.

“There is never an excuse for driving impaired,” said Carnahan.