MCSO kicks off partnership to curb impaired driving

JACKSON, Tenn. — “Drive sober or get pulled over.”

It’s common advice we hear, especially around major holidays.

“Just like any other THSO event, we’ll be stepping up enforcement activities by increasing the amount of officers on the street,” Sgt. Richard King, with the Madison County Sheriff’s Office, said.

With Labor Day a little more than two weeks away, the MCSO is partnering with the Tennessee Highway Safety Office to kick off  ‘Booze It and Lose It.’ The campaign aims to hit the brakes on impaired driving.

The consequences of a single DUI for a first time offender in the state can range from costly fees to jail time. Before you say bottoms up, think first.

“It’s not just drinking and driving, it’s driving while under the influence of narcotics and prescription drugs,” King said.

With the COVID-19 pandemic, King said it impacted enforcement operations.

“This will be the first campaign that we’ve actually carried out since the outbreak,” King said.

Officers will conduct DUI saturation patrols around the county.

“We’re going to be adding a significant amount of deputies to the road on the weekends,” King said.

King had another piece of advice: If it makes you feel different, you shouldn’t drive.

The campaign runs through Labor Day.