The East Ridge Police Department is partnering with the Tennessee Highway Safety Office to enhance drunk-driving enforcement from Dec. 15 to Jan. 1, surrounding the holiday season. The statewide Booze It and Lose It campaign is part of a national mobilization to prevent drunk driving.
East Ridge police will increase officer presence on the streets during this period along with concentrated saturation patrols on select dates.
"Increased state and local messaging about the dangers of drunk driving, coupled with sobriety checkpoints and saturation patrols, aim to drastically reduce alcohol-impaired driving," officials said.
“This time last year, there were 223 lives lost to impaired-driving crashes across Tennessee,” said THSO Director Vic Donoho.
“Our partnership with local law enforcement is vital to combat drunk driving this holiday season.”
Officials said, "A single DUI conviction can cost an individual $5,000 or more, in addition to jail time. An offender could also be required to attend drug and alcohol treatment or to install an ignition interlock device inside his/her vehicle. Any penalty imposed by law pales in comparison to the injury or death of a loved one."
The THSO provides grant funding to support East Ridge Police efforts during the Booze It and Lose It holiday enforcement campaign.