In a continuation of the “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign, the Tazewell County Sheriff's Office has announced plans to participate in a “statewide impaired driving awareness campaign”, starting on December 17th and running through January 3rd.

In a press release, Sgt. Steven Anthony says “Driving impaired, whether under the influence of alcohol or drugs, can have catastrophic consequences and is illegal in every state. Not only do you put yourself at risk, but the lives of others as well.” The Tazewell County Sheriff’s Office also gave the following tips for drivers to help keep the roads safe this holiday season:

• Before you head to the party, designate a sober driver or plan to use public transportation or a ride-sharing service to get home safely.
• If you see an impaired driver on the road, pull over and call the Tazewell County Sheriff’s Office - they can be reached at (309) 477-2250, or 911 in an emergency situation.
• Have a friend who is about to drive impaired? Take their keys and help them get home safely.
• Always Buckle Up!

    
According to data from The National Safety Council, fatal alcohol related crashes increase as much as 15% on New Years Eve and New Years Day, compared to an 8-9% increase for Christmas Day. However, the NSC is careful to note that with the holidays being on or adjacent to weekends in 2021, the risk of an alcohol related crash increases as festivities tend to last longer. To further complicate the data, Covid will play a part in the statistics as many families may prefer to stay home in light of the spread of the Omicron variant. However, the NSC predicts 340 traffic deaths for the Christmas holiday and another 340 for New Year’s Eve/Day. It should be noted that actual traffic deaths during winter holiday periods have fallen below NSC predictions since 2014.