Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Office partners with NHTSA to combat drunk driving this holiday weekend

As the nation celebrates Independence Day, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is warning drivers about the dangers of drinking and driving: Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving.

Every year, the Fourth of July holiday ranks as one of the deadliest periods on the nation’s roads. From 2019 to 2023, there were 2,653 traffic fatalities during the holiday period, 1,679 of whom were the driver. Thirty-eight percent (643) of those drivers were drunk. Of the 1,679 drivers killed, the 21-34 age group had the highest percentage (48%) of drunk drivers.

The Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Office is partnering with NHTSA to remind drivers that Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving. Celebrating our nation’s independence safely is our biggest responsibility.

The sheriff’s office says drivers should be safe during this Independence Day holiday by planning ahead if they intend to drink. They shouldn’t wait until after drinking to plan how to get somewhere. Impairment clouds a person’s judgment. Drivers should secure a designated sober driver or call a taxi or rideshare for a sober ride home.

If a driver finds they are unable to drive, they should give their keys to a sober driver so that person can get them home safely. When a friend has been drinking and is considering driving, friends should be proactive — take away the keys and help them get a sober ride home. If anyone spots a drunk driver, contact local law enforcement. The Sheriff’s Office will have additional deputies working this weekend with a focus on impaired driving enforcement.