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      July 2003 Crackdown

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You Drink & Drive. You Lose.
National Crackdown
Sample Press Release
Community Organizations

FIRST YOU DRINK & DRIVE. YOU LOSE. CRACKDOWN SINCE ALL 50 STATES AND DC PASSED .O8 BAC LAWS

Largest National Advertising Campaign to Highlight Law Enforcement Efforts

[Date][COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION] announced today its plans to participate in the You Drink & Drive. You Lose. nationwide crackdown from August 27 to September 12, 2004. This is the first since all 50 States and the District of Columbia passed .08 Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) laws for impaired driving. Uniform BAC laws strengthen the hand of law enforcement to arrest and prosecute dangerous drunk drivers to fullest extent of the law. Additionally, for the first time, the crackdown will take place during the Labor Day period to target the end-of-summer impaired driving problem. In 2002, more than 55% of fatalities in motor vehicle crashes that occurred during the Labor Day weekend were alcohol-related.

“Working in the community brings you closer to the people you serve. I see up close and personal when a family is torn apart by tragedy because of drunk driving. So our message is clear – You Drink & Drive. You Lose.” said [COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION LEADER]. “Don’t turn your holiday into a jail stay, or worse, a one way trip to the trauma center or hospital. ”

The You Drink & Drive. You Lose. Crackdown, which began in 1999, combines highly visible law enforcement with a $14 million national advertising campaign – the largest paid media buy in the crackdown’s history. Advertising during the crackdown alerts motorists that if you drink and drive irresponsibly, chances are you will be caught.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) studies show that nearly 97 percent of Americans view drinking and driving by others as a threat to their families and themselves. Indeed, Americans support tougher enforcement and rank drunk driving ahead of healthcare, poverty, the environment and gun control as an important social issue. The majority of Americans support increased enforcements efforts.

NHTSA estimates that 17,401 people were killed in alcohol-related crashes in 2003. This represents 40% of the 43,220 people killed in all traffic crashes. Last year, there was a more than 2% increase in fatalities of motorcyclists in alcohol-related crashes. To counter this deadly trend, law enforcement officers will be on the lookout for one or more of the following characteristics of motorcycle drivers: drifting during turns or curves, having trouble with dismount, and being unbalanced at stops.

[COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION LEADER] reminds everyone:

• Be responsible and don’t risk it … you will be caught.
• If you plan to drink, choose a designated driver before going out.
• Take mass transit, a taxicab, or ask a sober friend to drive you home.
• Spend the night where the activity is held.
• Report impaired drivers to law enforcement.
• Always buckle up – it’s your best defense against an impaired driver.

For more information about the crackdown or alcohol-related crash statistics, visit www.StopImpairedDriving.org