01/30/2019 – No matter who you’re rooting for this weekend, there’s something we can all agree on; drinking and driving is bad.
That’s why the Oklahoma Highway Patrol is teaming up with numerous law enforcement agencies across the state to increase patrols this weekend.
How can you be the MVP this weekend? By volunteering to be the designated driver for you and your friends. When it comes down to it, it’s up to YOU to be the one to get everyone home safe.
In 2018 in Oklahoma, there were 16 injury crashes around game time, that includes one fatality. Two of those crashes were impaired-related, meaning at least one of the drivers in each crash is believed to have been under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
“Most people will make plans to hang out with friends to watch the game on Sunday. While you’re picking your favorite queso recipe, go ahead and figure out who will be your designated driver,” said Oklahoma Highway Patrol Lieutenant Chris Arnall.
With the abundance of ride-share drivers across the state, there is no reason for anyone to drive after they’ve been drinking. Better yet, have one of your friends as your designated driver.
“We want everyone to enjoy the game and time with friends, but most importantly we want them alive to celebrate the next big game,” said Arnall.
In 2017, 656 people were killed in crashes in Oklahoma; almost half of those (324) were killed in drug/alcohol-related crashes. This is up from 43 percent killed in drug/alcohol-related crashes in 2016 in Oklahoma.
“We’d rather you crash on your friend’s couch than crash your car and risk hurting yourself or someone else,” said Arnall.
For an interactive look at all of the crashes in Oklahoma during 2017, visit, http://bit.ly/2017KAB
The ENDUI enforcement team coordinates multi-jurisdictional events on a regular basis, including sobriety checkpoints and saturation patrols. These efforts are needed to impact Oklahoma’s impaired driving problem across the state. The locations of these activities are driven by data from the Oklahoma Highway Safety Office and by local request.
