MPD to participate in holiday sobriety enforcement campaign

McCOOK, Neb. – McCook Police Chief Kevin Hodgson has announced that the McCook Police Department will be participating in the Driver Sober or Get Pulled Over mobilization this holiday season. The mobilization will run through Jan. 1, 2025.

During this time, the Police Department will have additional Officers working shifts to focus on enforcing traffic violations with an emphasis on driving under the influence. These officers will be working additional overtime hours in addition to their normal work schedule. During the 2018-2022 December months, there were 4,759 people killed in alcohol-impaired-driving crashes. In December 2022 alone, 1,062 people died in alcohol-impaired driving crashes.

Drunk male drivers were involved in fatal crashes at a much higher rate (22%) in December 2022 compared to female drivers (16%). Young drivers ages 21-34 accounted for the highest percentage (25%) of alcohol-impaired drivers involved in fatal traffic crashes in December 2022. Nighttime driving in December 2022 was significantly more dangerous than daytime driving, with 31% of drivers involved in fatal traffic crashes between the hours of 6 p.m. and 5:59 a.m. being drunk. Almost half (45%) of drivers involved in fatal crashes between the hours of midnight and 2:59 a.m. were drunk.

McCook Police Department recommends these safe alternatives to drinking and driving: • Remember that it is never OK to drink and drive.

Even if you’ve had only one alcoholic beverage, designate a sober driver. • If you see a drunk driver on the road, contact McCook Public Safety Center Dispatch at 308-345-3450 or call 911. • Do you have a friend who is about to drink and drive? Take the keys away and make arrangements to get your friend home safely.

For more information on impaired driving, visit https://www.nhtsa.gov/risky-driving/drunk-driving.