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Last year, during the final weeks of summer, there were 54 traffic fatalities in Iowa; 44% involved impairment.

To prevent future tragedies, the Governor’s Traffic Safety Bureau (GTSB) is partnering with law enforcement across the state to decrease impaired driving. Through Sept. 2, agencies will be participating in the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over high-visibility enforcement project. You’ll see officers working together to remove impaired drivers/motorcycle riders from the road.

“We want drivers to understand it’s law enforcement’s first priority to keep people safe, so we’re asking everyone to make a plan,” says GTSB’s Law Enforcement Liaison Randy Kunert. “The drive sober/ride sober campaign is an awareness effort to spread the message that impaired driving is illegal, and it takes lives.”

There are plenty of options to get impaired drivers home safely. Designate a sober driver or call a taxi/rideshare service. If available, use your community’s sober ride program. If you see a drunk driver/rider on the road, contact local law enforcement.

The bureau works with city, county, state and local organizations to develop and implement strategies to reduce death and injury on Iowa’s roads using federally funded grants.