Madison County INCREASES IMPAIRED-DRIVING ENFORCEMENT DURING HOLIDAY SEASON

Jackson, TN – Madison County Sheriff’s Office is partnering with the Tennessee

Highway Safety Office (THSO) to increase impaired-driving enforcement from December 13 - 31, surrounding the holiday season. The THSO’s statewide Booze It and Lose It campaign is part of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over nationwide mobilization.

Throughout the holiday season the Madison County Sheriff’s Office will be conducting DUI Saturation Patrols throughout Madison County.

The Madison County Sheriff’s Office would like to wish everybody a happy and safe holiday season. Please remember to have a designated drive if you are drinking and please buckle up.

Increased state and national messaging about the dangers of drunk driving, coupled with increased sobriety checkpoints and high visibility enforcement, aim to drastically reduce the number of drunk-driving crashes, injuries, and fatalities this year.

“We ask all Tennesseans to please drive safely this holiday season,” said THSO Director Vic Donoho. “In December 2016, more than 500 traffic crashes statewide involved a drunk driver. Our state and local law enforcement partners will be out in full force to secure Tennessee roadways. We want everyone to make it home safely, so please designate a sober driver.”

The consequences of a single DUI conviction for a first-time offender in the state of Tennessee may include costly fines, court costs, legal fees, jail time, mandatory drug and alcohol treatment, and/or the installation of an ignition interlock device in his/her vehicle.

The THSO provides grant funding to support Madison County Sheriff’s Office increased enforcement efforts during the Booze It and Lose It holiday campaign. For more information about the THSO, please visit www.tntrafficsafety.org.