State Police, Local Police and UMass Boston Sports Captains Urge Safer Holiday Season Driving

Drunk Driving. Over the Limit. Under Arrest. Event Educates College Students about Risks of Impaired Driving

The Massachusetts State Police, local police, and UMass Boston sports team captains came together to raise awareness during the holiday season about the dangers of impaired driving. Statewide plans were also detailed for extra traffic enforcement focusing on arresting impaired drivers as part of the Commonwealth's participation in the national Drunk Driving. Over the Limit. Under Arrest . Mobilization through January 2, 2008.

To drive home the importance of safe and sober driving - as well as to offer a creative way to avoid the dangers of underage drinking - UMass Boston Beacon sports team captains served up "mocktails" - festive non-alcoholic beverages - to fellow students.

"Keeping our roads safer during the holidays is a top priority for those involved with highway safety in Massachusetts," said Sheila Burgess, Director of Highway Safety for the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security. "We need to keep working together year-round to educate everyone of the dangers of impaired driving and underage drinking."

There were 174 alcohol-related fatalities in Massachusetts in 2006. These deaths represented 40 percent of all the motor vehicle-related fatalities that year in the Commonwealth. In a recent telephone survey by the Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety and Security, one out of every three respondents revealed they knew of someone who had been killed or injured by a drunk driver. The Drunk Driving. Over the Limit. Under Arrest. Mobilization aims to reduce alcohol-related fatalities and injuries through extra traffic enforcement highlighted by public information and enhanced by community-level education.

"Today is just our latest outreach effort to educate young adults about the dangers of drunk driving and the very high likelihood of getting arrested for violating the Commonwealth's impaired driving laws," stated Massachusetts State Police Colonel Mark Delaney. "Our goal is to keep our roadways safer, even more so during the high-risk times of the holiday season."

The 2005 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's (SAMHSA) National Survey on Drug Use and Health found adults ages 18-22 enrolled full-time in college were more likely than their peers not enrolled full-time to have consumed alcohol in the past month, and most significantly to have engaged in binge drinking. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports drivers age 16-34 are responsible for the highest number of people killed in alcohol-related crashes.

Upon the completion of the press event members of the Massachusetts State Police lead several UMass students on a tour of the Massachusetts State Police BAT Mobile, a 40-foot long, 102-inch wide bus, deployed throughout the Commonwealth at Sobriety Checkpoint and designed to bring the booking capabilities of a State Police barracks to any location.

For additional information on the Drunk Driving. Over the Limit. Under Arrest. Mobilization as well as the "mocktail" recipes, go to www.mass.gov/highwaysafety.