The Lexington Police Dept. and Kentucky State Police are joining forces to spotlight their “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” program.
National data show the campaign reducing alcohol-related fatalities by as much as 20 percent. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that someone is killed by a drunk driver every 51 minutes. Over Labor Day weekend, that shortens to 36 minutes.
Bill Bell, director of the state’s Office of Highway Safety, says it’s difficult to pin down exact numbers in Kentucky when drugs other than alcohol are involved.
"We haven't gotten a 100 percent handle on that, but as far as drunk driving, that represents about 20 percent of our fatalities," he says.
In 2013, Kentucky recorded more than 5,500 alcohol-related crashes, 138 fatal.
Bell stresses that the Drive Sober campaign runs year-round, but departments highlight their efforts during peak traffic weeks during the year. This campaign will run from Aug. 13 through September 1.
