December is National Impaired Driving Prevention Month.

Every day, lives are needlessly lost and irreparably altered by collisions involving drugs or alcohol.  These horrible tragedies are avoidable, and each of us must make responsible decisions to prevent them and keep our communities safe.

In 2017, more than 10,000 people died in alcohol-related crashes in the United States, accounting for 29 percent of all traffic fatalities. 

The Ponca City Police Department receives funding for additional traffic emphasis to combat impaired drivers through a competitive grant program from the Oklahoma Highway Safety Office. Extra officers will be patrolling the streets during peak party and party related traffic times.

Drunk or drugged drivers experience diminished judgment and decreased motor coordination and reaction time, putting at grave risk passengers, pedestrians, and other drivers. Every American can take a few simple steps to make our roads safer.  We hope every driver commits to making responsible and safe decisions when driving, including driving sober, finding a designated driver, and keeping loved ones from getting behind the wheel while impaired.  By educating our communities on the importance of driving sober, we can help avoid loss of life, debilitating injuries, and unbearable heartache.  We must act to protect our loved ones and eliminate fatalities that prevent our fellow Americans from enjoying full and happy lives.