JAMESTOWN, N.D. (NDDOT) – Law enforcement agencies across North Dakota will run extra patrols in an effort to remove impaired drivers off the roads, as part of the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over enforcement campaign from March 1-31.

“We want to use the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over enforcement campaign period to remind drivers of how simple it is to always drive sober,” said Jamestown Police Lieutenant Justin Blinsky. “It’s as easy as remaining sober, designating a sober ride in advance, or calling someone when you are impaired. It’s that easy to save a life, whether it’s your own or someone else’s.”

Preliminary data from 2017 in North Dakota reports 50 motor vehicle fatalities and 470 injuries due to an alcohol-related crash. This translates to one alcohol-related fatality every seven days in North Dakota. In fact, nearly 1 in 5 (19 percent) adult arrests in North Dakota are for Driving Under the Influence (DUI).

“With the newly launched statewide traffic safety initiative, Vision Zero – Zero fatalities. Zero excuses, we hope that this enforcement campaign will bring more awareness to the seriousness of a driver’s actions behind the wheel so we can reach that goal. The lives lost or those individuals who have been seriously injured due to an impaired driver is unacceptable and 100 percent preventable,” said Karin Mongeon, North Dakota Department of Transportation (NDDOT) Safety Division Director.

The NDDOT administers federal grant funding as part of an overall effort to prevent fatalities and injuries on North Dakota roads. Learn more at dot.nd.gov, visionzero.nd.gov, or join the conversation on the Vision Zero ND Facebook and Twitter page.

Families are invited to create memorials for those who have died in crashes in North Dakota on the North Dakota Crash Memorial Wall at visionzero.nd.gov.