oztOperation Zero Tolerance
Operation Zero Tolerance is Georgia's high visibility enforcement program that targets impaired drivers through concentrated patrols and sobriety checkpoints. During this year's enforcement campaign, police officers, sheriffs deputies and state troopers will work together to protect everyone from impaired drivers during this busy time of the year. The Georgia campaign is part of the national Over the Limit, Under Arrest program.
Free Sober Rides this Holiday. Any place. Any time. Across Georgia.
For New Year's Eve and the Super Bowl, the Governor's Office of Highway Safety (GOHS) in Georgia wants to make sure that you arrive alive from your party in 2012.
To help keep Georgia safe, GOHS has created with safety partners across the state a list of contacts for free rides to make sure that you and your friends and family get home safely this season.
http://www.drivesobergeorgia.com
OZT HOLIDAY 2011/2012--DRIVE SOBER OR GET PULLED OVER
There Are No Festivities in Jail
Remember: Drive Sober Or Get Pulled Over
(ATLANTA) As folks all over Georgia celebrate their holiday season traditions with food, family and fun, law enforcement professionals throughout the state will also be out in full force for their traditional DUI enforcement campaign to arrest anyone caught driving impaired.
That’s because despite the fact that Georgia saw an 11% decrease in impaired driving fatalities in 2010, motorists are still taking too many risks when it comes to drinking and driving. So from Dec. 16 to Jan. 2, police officers, deputies and state troopers all over Georgia will be participating in the annual Drive Sober Or Get Pulled Over campaign.
This is a campaign of zero tolerance that reminds motorists that if they get caught driving with a Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) of .08 or higher, they will be arrested and they will go to jail. And while this is the policy 24/7/365 in all 50 states, the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety (GOHS) is using this holiday enforcement period to remind drivers how dangerous driving drunk can be.
“The message is short and sweet,” said GOHS Director Harris Blackwood. “Drive sober or you’ll get pulled over. Drinking alcohol and driving is no present for anyone so if you plan to consume alcohol, you better plan for a sober driver to get you home safely.”
Unfortunately, drivers all over Georgia and, indeed, across the country still think they are invincible and will choose to jeopardize their safety and the safety of others. How do we know? In December 2009, 753 people were killed in crashes that involved drivers or motorcycle riders with a BAC of .08 or higher.
“It’s going to be hard to spread holiday cheer if you’re stuck behind bars for a completely avoidable offense,” said Director Blackwood. “Don’t let your holiday season end in arrest, or worse, death. It doesn’t matter if you’re buzzed, had one too many or way too many. It’s just not worth the risk.”
The good news is there are some simple recommendations for making sure you have a safe and sober holiday season:
- Plan a safe way home before the festivities begin;
- Before drinking, designate a sober driver and leave your keys at home;
- If you’re impaired, use a taxi, call a sober friend or family member, or use public transportation;
- If you happen to see a drunk driver on the road, don’t hesitate to contact your local law enforcement;
- If you see know someone who is about to drive or ride impaired, take that person’s keys and help him or her make other arrangements to get home safely.
“Whether you’re going over the river and through the woods to grandmother’s house or down the street to join a neighbor for holiday festivities, driving impaired is a gift nobody wants,” said Director Blackwood.
FROM THE LABOR DAY 2011 OZT CAMPAIGN....
The Governor's Office of Highway Safety (GOHS) today announced it will join nearly 10,000 other law enforcement agencies nationwide in support of an intensive crackdown on impaired driving August 19–September 5, known as “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over.”
The problem of impaired driving is a serious one. Data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration shows the number of alcohol-impaired-driving fatalities in America fell from 2008 to 2009, but the numbers are still too high.
In 2009 alone, 10,839 people died in crashes in which a driver or motorcycle rider was at or above the legal limit, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration. The age group with the highest percentage of alcohol-impaired-driving fatalities in motor vehicle traffic crashes was the 21-to-24 age group.
“All too often, innocent, law-abiding people suffer tragic consequences and the loss of loved ones due to this careless disregard for human life. Because we’re committed to ending the carnage, we’re intensifying enforcement during the crackdown. Since twice as many alcohol-impaired accidents occur over the weekend and four times as many occur at night, we will be especially vigilant during these high-risk times when impaired drivers are most likely to be on our roads,” said GOHS Director Harris Blackwood.
Across the country, it is illegal to drive with a blood alcohol concentration of .08 grams per deciliter or higher. According to the latest data, nearly a third of fatalities in motor vehicle traffic crashes involved a driver or motorcycle rider with a BAC above the legal limit – an average of one fatality every 48 minutes.
The crackdown will include law enforcement officers in every state, Washington, D.C., and many U.S. cities and towns.
Director Blackwood said Georgia law enforcement will be aggressively looking for allimpaired drivers during the crackdown and will arrest anyone they find driving while impaired — regardless of age, vehicle type or time of day.
“Our message is simple and unwavering: if we find you driving impaired, we will arrest you. No exceptions,” said Director Blackwood. “Even if you beat the odds and manage to walk away from an impaired-driving crash alive, the trauma and financial costs of a crash or an arrest for driving while impaired can still destroy your life.”
According to GOHS, violators often face jail time, loss of their driver licenses, or being sentenced to use ignition interlocks. Their insurance rates go up. Other financial hits include attorney fees, court costs, lost time at work, and the potential loss of job or job prospects. When family, friends and co-workers find out, violators can also face tremendous personal embarrassment and humiliation.
“Driving impaired is simply not worth all the consequences. So don’t take the chance. Remember, Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over,” said GOHS Director Harris Blackwood.
For more information, visit the High-Visibility Enforcement Campaign Headquarters at www.StopImpairedDriving.org.