Drive Sober Or Get Pulled Over

(Editor's note: The following information was submitted by Tewksbury Police Chief Timothy Sheehan.)

As you celebrate the holiday season enjoying traditions, food, family and fun, be reminded that the Tewksbury Police Department will be out in force from Dec. 16, 2011 to Jan. 2, 2012 to protect the Commonwealth’s citizens by arresting anyone caught behind the wheel operating under the influence.

Tewksbury Police Department will join up to 180 local law enforcement agencies and the MA State Police to run extra patrols through the New Year as part of the national Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over mobilization, funded by a federal grant administered through the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security’s Highway Safety Division (EOPSS-HSD).   

The message is simple:  Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over.  Drinking alcohol and driving do not mix.  If you plan to consume alcohol, you should also plan not to get behind the wheel of a vehicle or ride a motorcycle.

In 2010 in Massachusetts, 59 people were killed in crashes that involved drivers with blood alcohol concentrations of .08 grams per deciliter or higher.

EOPSS-HSD and recommend these tips for a safe holiday season:           

• Plan a safe way home before the festivities begin;
• Before drinking, designate a sober driver and leave your car 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 law enforcement;
• And remember, Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over. If you know someone who is about to drive while impaired, take their keys and help them make other arrangements to get home safely.

For more information, please visit www.mass.gov/highwaysafety