Choose Your Ride

Salt Lake City, August 25, 2013 – Representatives from local law enforcement, the Utah Highway Patrol and the Utah Highway Safety Office plan to visit local news outlets to reveal their latest mobile prevention message, which aims to educate the public about the dangerous effects and potential life-altering consequences of drunk driving. On August 28th, law enforcement officers drove into news outlet parking lots across the Wasatch Front with the mobile message displayed across a patrol car. The car carries the message, “Choose your ride – if you drink don’t drive.” Custom graphics are used to make the car look as if it is half police cruiser and half taxicab. “We hope this visual message will serve as a reminder for those who choose to drink this holiday weekend,” stated Chief Greg Butler of Woods Cross Police Department. “There are several ways people can get home safely after a few drinks; either via a cab, a sober friend or public transportation—all make for better rides than the back seat of one of our patrol cars.”

On average, the costs associated with a single drunk driving arrest in Utah are about $10,000. “People don’t realize the whole consequences of getting arrested,” says Sgt. Ted Tingey of the Utah Highway Patrol. “Once you get pulled over for drunk driving you are going to get arrested, go to jail, get your license suspended or revoked. Your car’s going to get impounded. You’re going to have an alcohol treatment program and you’re going to be given an ignition interlock device on your vehicle. There’s court costs, attorneys fees and restitution if you’ve hurt or injured somebody or damaged someone else’s property,” Tingey said in an interview Sunday. Add to that the impacts on one’s family, friends and employment. Contrast that with the average cab fare in Salt Lake City, which is $15.53, according to Taxi Fare Finder As summer comes to a close, law enforcement officers statewide will be increasing public awareness and using a no-excuses approach to enforcement during saturation patrols and checkpoints to send the strong message that drunk driving will not be tolerated. After visiting the local news outlets, the newly wrapped police cruiser will be on display at the Utah State Fair grounds, and then continue to travel across the state to local venues where the prevention message will be most impactful. The campaign is part of the national Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over high-visibility enforcement campaign which is a unified law enforcement effort to reduce drunk driving and educate the public about the dangerous effects of driving under the influence.

For more information, please visit Drive Sober Org or Utah Highway Safety Sources: Utah Highway Safety Newsroom & Deseret News

Request to display the “Choose Your Ride” vehicle for your organization. Choose Your Ride Request Form