Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Agency of Transportation’s State Highway Safety Office joins law enforcement agencies across the state and nation in urging drivers to Drive Sober. From August 15 through September 1, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) will be working alongside Vermont law enforcement for the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over high-visibility enforcement campaign. The goal is to deter impaired driving and prevent the tragedies seen during previous Labor Day weekends from happening again.
The State Highway Safety Office held a press conference Wednesday in Middlebury with Lt. Governor John Rodgers, DMV Commissioner Andrew Collier, other State leaders, and representatives of Vermont State Police and local law enforcement to support this critical message.
In Vermont, from 2020 to 2024, 57% of all fatal Vermont vehicle crashes involved an impaired driver, with 196 fatalities occurring from impaired driving. In the last 10 years (2015 to 2024), there were 357 fatalities in Vermont involving impaired drivers. From 2020 and 2024, 235 children were involved in crashes with impaired drivers in Vermont. In 2024, 58% of all fatal crashes involved an impaired driver.
“We want our community members to understand that it’s our first priority to keep people safe, so we’re asking everyone to plan ahead if they know they’ll be out drinking,” said Lt. Governor John Rodgers. “The Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign is an awareness effort to get the message out that impaired driving is illegal and it can have devastating consequences. Let’s make this a partnership between law enforcement and drivers: Help us protect the community and put an end to this dangerous behavior.”
If a driver is not sober and therefore 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.
“Please be safe by planning ahead for a sober ride home,” said Transportation Secretary Joe Flynn. “Don’t wait until after partying to plan how to get somewhere. Impairment clouds a person’s judgment. We want everyone to get home safely.”
If anyone spots an impaired driver, please contact local law enforcement.
For more information on impaired driving, visit www.nhtsa.gov/risky-driving/drunk-driving or Drive Well Vermont.
Vermont Agency of Transportation vtrans.vermont.gov
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