Christmas/New Year’s Sober or Slammer enforcement campaign! 2025

December 12, 2025 – January 1, 2026

The holiday season is known for being merry and bright, but it is also known for being the deadliest season when it comes to drunk driving. During this busy winter holiday season, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is teaming up with the South Carolina Department of Public Safety (SCDPS) to urge drivers to think twice before drinking and driving. NHTSA and SCDPS want all drivers to remember this lifesaving message: Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over. This campaign seeks to educate drivers on the dangers of alcohol- and drug-impaired driving, as well as heighten awareness of increased enforcement.

• During the month of December in the years 2019-2023, there were 4,931 people killed in alcohol-impaired-driving crashes. In December 2023 alone, 1,038 people died in alcohol-impaired-driving crashes.
• Nighttime driving in December 2023 was significantly more dangerous than daytime driving; 30% of drivers involved in fatal traffic crashes between the hours of 6 p.m. and 5:59 a.m. were drunk and almost half (47%) of drivers involved in fatal crashes between the hours of midnight and 2:59 a.m. were drunk.
• In December 2023, drunk male drivers were involved in fatal crashes at a higher rate (22%) compared to female drivers (18%).
• Young drivers ages 21-34 accounted for the highest percentage (27%) of alcohol-impaired drivers involved in fatal traffic crashes in December 2023.

Let’s remind everyone to follow the law and do their part to keep themselves and other road users safe throughout the winter holiday season. Drunk driving fatalities can be prevented when everyone keeps road safety in mind as they prepare for holiday celebrations. Drivers should plan ahead if they intend to drink by securing a designated sober driver or calling and scheduling a taxi or rideshare for a sober ride home.

As outlined in the Special Conditions of your grant award, all enforcement projects are required to support and, as appropriate, conduct enforcement and/or educational activities in conjunction with the Sober or Slammer! campaign. You can post the Sober or Slammer! campaign images (below) and/or the Sober or Slammer! campaign video, which can be found here: https://youtu.be/sR0onqg2Kr0