Written By: Prince William County
Prince William County, VA… The Prince William County Police Department joins law enforcement agencies throughout Virginia to increase enforcement and deter drunk driving. The Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign will take place across the country from Aug. 17, 2022, through Sept. 5, 2022.
If you drink and drive, and seriously injure someone in Virginia, you will face harsher criminal penalties. A law passed in 2020 increased the offense of drunk driving that causes permanent and significant impairment to another person from a class 6 felony to a class 4 felony, which comes with two-to-10 years of prison time. The law also created a class 6 felony for drunk driving that causes serious bodily injury which is not permanently disabling. As the summer travel season ends and the new school year begins, law enforcement is pushing to keep roads safe for everyone.
In 2021, the police department made over 1,100 arrests related to impaired driving, which also accounted for eight of the 28 fatal collisions that year making driver impairment was the leading cause of crash fatalities.
Drive Sober is a crucial joint effort between public and private partners working to stop traffic fatalities. During this time, the Police Department will continue to raise public awareness about the dangers of impaired driving. By educating our communities on the importance of driving sober, we can help avoid loss of life, debilitating injuries, and unbearable heartache.
Impaired driving is both reckless and preventable. Drivers break the law by driving impaired, putting thousands of travelers at risk every day. The Police Department wants drivers to know impaired driving is not tolerated. No excuses and no warnings. If drivers are caught driving impaired, they will be arrested.
The Police Department reminds motorists that nothing kills a buzz faster than getting a DUI.
Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over!