The Next Holiday Special Traffic Enforcement Initiative Starts This Friday

In a normal year, the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays are a time for family get togethers, outings and a host of annual traditions. It is also traditionally the most deadly time for impaired driving. Law enforcement agencies from across the state have and will continue to partner with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to help remove impaired motorists from the roads and to help save lives. A special traffic enforcement program was initiated over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend and the next one will be starting Friday, Dec. 18 and run through New Year’s Day. The “Tis the Season to Drive Sober” is another “Driver Sober or Get Pulled Over,” traffic enforcement program with an enhanced law enforcement presence aimed at education and public protection. In 2018, 27 percent of traffic fatalities in Iowa involved alcohol-impaired driving. Nationally, 839 people lost their lives to drunk driving in December of 2018. Locally over the Thanksgiving holiday, from Nov. 16 through Nov. 29, the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office and Carroll Police Department reported a total of two arrests, 59 citations and 117 warnings were issued. There were two arrests for operating while intoxicated, one that was alcohol related and one drug related. The majority of citations issued were for speeding, driving without registrations and driving without a license. The vast majority of warnings were issued for equipment violations and no proof of insurance. A breakdown of those citations and warnings can be found with this story on our website.
 
(left side is warnings issued and right is citations issued)