WAMPSVILLE — This holiday season, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is partnering with Madison County STOP-DWI to share the message about the dangers of drunk driving.

NHTSA and Madison County STOP-DWI want all drivers to remember this lifesaving message: Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over.

Drivers will see officers working together Dec. 16, through Jan. 1, to take drunk drivers off the roads.

According to NHTSA, 11,654 people were killed in motor vehicle crashes in 2020 that involved an alcohol-impaired driver.

On average, more than 10,000 people were killed each year from 2016 to 2020, and one person was killed in a drunk-driving crash every 45 minutes in 2020.

This is why Madison County STOP-DWI is working together with NHTSA to remind drivers that drunk driving is not only illegal, it is a matter of life and death.

“It’s so important that drivers act responsibly, and that includes refraining from impaired driving,” said Madison County STOP-DWI Coordinator Matthew White.

“The holidays are a special time of year for many, and we want our community members to enjoy this season. We need commitment from drivers that they’ll keep the roads free of drunk drivers so that everyone can have a safe holiday. This enforcement period allows us to get the message out that drunk driving is illegal and it takes lives. Help us put an end to this senseless behavior,” the STOP-DWI coordinator added.