The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, with state and local authorities, began its traditional holiday battle against drunken driving a week early this year. The “Drunk Driving: Over the Limit, Under Arrest” campaign started last week and runs through Sept. 3, reports the Associated Press. Tom Vinger of the Texas Department of Public Safety said summer is the high point for drinking and driving. “Labor Day is typically the last big summer blowout,” Vinger said. “Combined with all the families traveling on vacation, drunk driving can cause serious problems. It should be a concern for everyone on the highway.”
More than 10,000 agencies nationwide are participating in the campaign. Congress provided the agency with an additional $11 million for a national advertising campaign, in partnership with Mothers Against Drunk Driving, to strengthen the campaign this year. Many local police agencies have grants to pay for more DWI enforcement. Other cities rearrange shifts and manpower to increase enforcement during peak drunken-driving hours. Vinger said, “If you drink and drive, your chances of being arrested go up significantly over the next week or so.”
Link: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/headline/metro/5067535.html