Television viewers can expect to see more alcohol safety commercials while channel surfing after the Virginia Attorney General's Office launched a new ad campaign this week designed to better educate Virginia citizens about the dangers of drinking and driving.
The ad campaign is the next phase of Checkpoint Strikeforce, a six-month statewide effort initiated in July to crack down on drunk drivers through education and increased enforcement, according to David Clementson, deputy director of communications in the Virginia Attorney General's Office.
"Intense programs like Checkpoint Strikeforce are aimed at bringing the rising figure of DUI arrests and convictions down as much as possible," Clementson said.
With Virginia DUI arrests reaching almost 30,000 a year, the state attorney general's office and the Albemarle Police Department are looking at various ways to address the issue.
"The educational aspect of the program is very important, but a big part of the ad campaign is to let Virginia citizens know there will be a checkpoint or saturation patrol every week somewhere in Virginia," Clementson said.
According to Sgt. Sean Hackney of the Albemarle Police Department, the saturation patrols and checkpoints are funded by the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles, and their sole responsibility is to patrol for drunk drivers.
"We are trying to tell folks that by driving drunk you are not just taking your own life into your own hands, but the lives of everyone else on the road," Clementson said.
According to Hackney, the increase in enforcement is a response to normal fluctuations in drunk driving incidents.
"The number of arrests changes throughout the year, but is particularly high during the summertime, football season and the winter holiday season," Hackney added.
According to Hackney, the number of DUI arrests does not noticeably rise when the University is in session.
"Many more U.Va. students are living off Grounds on the county-city line, but students are usually good about walking home in groups and packs," he added.
Kurt Erickson, president and CEO of the Washington Regional Alcohol Program, works as an official on Checkpoint Strikeforce and emphasized the importance of enforcement during the upcoming Labor Day weekend.
"Labor Day weekend is the third deadliest holiday for drivers on the road," he added. "Stepped up enforcement is vital to safety on the road."
Both the attorney general's office and the Albemarle County Police emphasized the previous success of Checkpoint Strikeforce and its importance in future years.
"Our highest priority is to save lives from such a preventable tragedy," Clementson said.
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