Drunk Driving Crackdown in Braintree Fueled by Federal Grant

The Braintree Police Department will ratchet up its drunk driving enforcement efforts this holiday season thanks to a federal grant that will allow local and state police to run extra patrols Dec. 13 through Jan. 1.

“The message is simple: Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over," Police Chief Russell Jenkins said in a statement. "Drinking alcohol and driving do not mix. If you plan to consume alcohol, you should also plan not to get behind the wheel of a
vehicle."

The national Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over mobilization is funded by a federal grant administered through the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security’s Highway Safety Division.

Data shows that the holiday season is a particularly deadly time due to the increased number of impaired drivers on the roads, Jenkins said. In 2011 in 
Massachusetts, 114 people were killed in crashes that involved drivers with a blood alcohol content level of .08 or higher.

“There is no holiday cheer behind the bars of a jail cell,” Jenkins said. “Don’t let your 2013 holiday season end in an arrest or worse, death or injury. Remember, whether you’ve had way too many or just one too many, it’s not worth the risk.”

EOPSS-HSD recommends these tips for a safe holiday season:

• Plan a safe way home before the festivities begin;

• Before drinking, designate a sober driver and leave your car keys at home;

• If you’re impaired, use a taxi, call a sober friend or family member, or use public transportation;

• If you happen to see an impaired driver on the road, don’t hesitate to contact law enforcement;

• And remember, Drive Sober Or Get Pulled Over. If you know someone who is about to drive while impaired, take their keys and help them make other arrangements to get home safely.