MCSO enforces 'Booze It & Lose It' campaign aimed to increase impaired-driving enforcement

JACKSON, TN (WNBJ) - Two law enforcement agencies are teaming up for a new campaign to increase safety on the roadways.

The Madison County Sheriff’s Department is partnering with the Tennessee Highway Safety Office for the Booze It & Lose It campaign, which starts tomorrow.

This campaign aims to increase impaired driving enforcement.

This awareness campaign starts tomorrow and will continue until September 6th, surrounding the Labor Day holiday.

More travel is expected during the Labor Day Holiday so more traffic incidents are more likely to happen.

The Madison County Sheriff’s Office will be ramping up patrols to ensure the public’s safety.

“We want people to be aware because we do not want more deaths because of highway accidents. The other thing is we don’t want people drinking and driving or even using drugs and driving because that what creates lots of our issues with accidents,” said Sheriff John Mehr with the Madison County Sheriff’s Office.

The sheriff’s department plans to increase sobriety checkpoints and deputy visibility throughout the county.

The public information officer at the sheriff’s office also wants to remind the community to utilize a designated driver.

“One thing we sure want to do, we want to remind everybody if you are going to be drinking be sure to have a designated driver. That’s so effective. It’s just another way on the Booze It and Lose It situation to make sure that you are not involved in losing your license,” said Tom Mapes, PIO with Madison County Sheriff’s Office.

The department also encourages the public to always buckle up and do not text and drive.

We are not reinventing the wheel; we are just reminding folks of things they already know and hope they implement those in their lives for safety,” said Mapes.

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.