You Drink & Drive. You Lose.
America's Impaired Driving Prevention Campaign

Working closely with partners like the National Association of Governors' Highway Safety Representatives and various law enforcement organizations, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) unveiled in December 1999 the You Drink & Drive. You Lose. impaired driving prevention campaign.

You Drink & Drive. You Lose. is much more than just a public service advertising campaign. It's a comprehensive impaired driving prevention program for states and communities to use as we all work together to save lives and reach the national goal of reducing alcohol-related deaths to no more than 11,000 by the year 2005.

The campaign targets high risk populations such as 21 to 34 year-olds, high blood alcohol and repeat offenders, and underage drinkers by increasing public education, expanding public-private partnerships, enacting strong legislation and promoting highly
visible enforcement.

Join the Next Mobilization – July 4th Weekend

To many Americans, July 4th is a special time to join family and friends in celebrating our nation's birthday and the struggle we have endured to secure our freedom. Unfortunately, summer also represents the deadliest time of year on America's highways. More Americans are killed by impaired drivers during the summer months than any other time of year. That's why every year Operation C.A.R.E., a national organization of state and local law enforcement organizations, conducts a national mobilization throughout America to make our highways safer during the Fourth of July holiday weekend.

Why mobilize? Because it works. Highly visible law enforcement, including saturation patrols and sobriety checkpoints, are effective strategies in reducing impaired driving. A nationwide "wave" of mobilizations from small rural towns to major metropolitan areas, combined with unified public information, puts offenders on notice that their actions are not only serious, but criminal. In short, mobilizations deter thousands of potential violators and killers.

During the July 4th mobilization, you can join Operation C.A.R.E., state and local highway safety agencies, NHTSA and thousands of partners throughout America in the nationally-coordinated mobilization effort. Whether you are in law enforcement or involved in community advocacy, you can help by turning up the "volume" about the deadly consequences of impaired driving and influencing others to act responsibly.

NHTSA's Program Planner 22 will contain the campaign's action kit designed to assist local partners with planning and coordinating their mobilization activities. The kit focuses on working with media and has ready-to-use materials to support your public relations efforts. The goal is to deter impaired driving and raise awareness that law enforcement will be conducting sobriety check points and saturation patrols to arrest impaired drivers.

For more information, please call 202-736-1647, or write to You Drink & Drive. You Lose., 1901 L Street, NW, Suite 300, Washington, DC 20036.