|
RICHMOND, VA - Governor Glenn Youngkin today announced enhanced holiday DUI enforcement as part of Virginia's "Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over" campaign, reminding Virginians to plan for a safe ride home if their holiday plans include alcohol and citing stepped-up efforts by law enforcement throughout the Commonwealth to identify and apprehend drunk drivers.
"This holiday season, Virginians have the opportunity to make a responsible choice that can save lives: a safe ride home for someone who has been drinking," said Governor Glenn Youngkin. "Because every drunk driving fatality, injury, crash, and arrest is 100-percent preventable, Virginia's 'Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over' DUI enforcement and public education campaign is focused on keeping our roads safe throughout the holiday season. Virginians who choose to celebrate with alcohol are urged to plan ahead and always get home safely."
Between December 10, 2025, and January 1, 2026, Virginia law enforcement agencies will participate in the holiday wave of Virginia's "Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over" campaign. During this period, Virginia law enforcement officers will conduct individual saturation patrols and sobriety checkpoints across the Commonwealth.
Last year, 318 people lost their lives in alcohol-related crashes in Virginia, representing an 8.5% increase from the year before.
In addition to the season's stepped-up law enforcement efforts to combat drunk driving, Virginia's "Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over" media campaign this year builds on last year's success with an expanded audiovisual presence and extended placements across key media channels. The public service messages, titled "What's the Damage," point out the cost of a DUI. This year, in addition to television and social media advertising, the messages will be seen in a variety of different ways that target individuals when they're buying alcohol. The campaign's creative content can be seen at WhatsTheDamage.org.
Since the start of the "Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over" campaign in 2002, there has been notable progress in reducing drunk driving incidents in Virginia. Over the past five years, alcohol-related traffic crashes have decreased by 4.0% (2019 vs. 2024, Virginia DMV).
Virginia's "Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over" campaign is a high-visibility enforcement effort aimed at preventing impaired driving and improving safety for all road users through awareness messaging and increased law enforcement presence on the road. The statewide traffic safety campaign is supported by a grant from the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles to the Virginia-based nonprofit Washington Regional Alcohol Program (WRAP).
|
