Deputies urging you to “Plan a Sober Ride”

Area police agencies will be out in force over the next week, and are encouraging you to plan for a sober driver on your way to or from Thanksgiving festivities.

The Jennings County Sheriff’s Department is announcing that deputies are taking part in the “Plan a Sober Ride” initiative, organized by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration through the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute.

According to the federal agency, impaired driving and fatal crashes spike during the Thanksgiving holiday. In 2021, 190 people throughout the nation died in alcohol-impaired driving crashes from the day before thanksgiving to the Monday following Thanksgiving. Over the four years from 2017 to 2021, 137 drivers nationwide were involved in fatal alcohol-impaired crashes on the night before Thanksgiving.

During the initiative, officers will be on the roads on high alert for impaired drivers. You are encouraged to plan ahead by designating a sober driver or by using public transportation or a ride service

Police say you should never drive impaired or let friends get behind the wheel if they’ve been drinking.