Booze It & Lose It Enforcement Campaign
If you decide to drink and drive this Labor Day, you could be celebrating the end of summer with a trip to jail, rather than the beach or the pool. Starting Monday, August 29, the New Bern Police Department will be on the lookout for impaired drivers during its Labor Day Booze It & Lose It Enforcement Campaign, which runs until September 11. Driving while impaired is against the law and could result in a DWI charge, thousands of dollars in court costs, serious injuries or even death to you or someone else.
“Over the many decades that I have worked in law enforcement, I have seen countless injuries and death due to the bad decisions of people who drink and drive,” said Chief Patrick Gallagher. “Many people consider Labor Day weekend to be the last celebration of summer. If you drink and drive, it could literally be your last celebration. Think about that. There is never a good reason to drink and drive and there are plenty of good reasons not to.”
In 2021, 423 people lost their lives on North Carolina roads due to alcohol-related crashes, including 15 during Labor Day weekend. In Craven County, there were 120 alcohol-related crashes last year; 4 of which resulted in death.
Increased enforcement during specific campaign periods year-round is a key part of making No1ih Carolina roads safer. 2021 marked the most traffic fatalities across the state since 1973.
For additional information about the police department’s “Booze It & Lose It” campaign, please contact Sergeant M. Hargett, Traffic Unit Supervisor at 252-672-4291.
By Captain David Daniels, Operations Division Captain