PennDOT kicks off "Season Impaired Driving Campaign" ahead of one of biggest drinking nights of the year
WEST MIFFLIN, Pa. (KDKA) -- It's one of the biggest drinking days of the year - many people have Thanksgiving off, most college students are back home, and they may go out with their high school friends.
But with that comes a reminder -- to not drive while impaired.
But PennDOT and its partners want you to know that driving while impaired – could be disastrous.
"It really only takes one bad decision to take someone's loved one away from them," Yasmeen Manyisha of PennDOT District 11 said.
It's why PennDOT is starting its Season Impaired Driving Campaign.
"We want all of our loved ones to make it back home safely," Maggie Nunley of the Pennsylvania DUI Association.
Last year, from Thanksgiving 2023 to January 2, 2024 – there were 105 impaired driver-related crashes in Pennsylvania. 5 people died from those.
PennDOT and its partners are reminding people to buckle up.
"It's the easiest way to protect your children," Manyisha said. "It's the easiest way to protect your friends -- it's the easiest way to protect yourselves…"
They also say to watch how you pair alcohol and drugs and make you use a designated driver if you hit up the bars.
"Know your limits – and make a plan," Manyisha said.
The penalties for a DUI could be steep. You could face anywhere from a $500 to a $5,000 fine, six months of incarceration, a one-year license suspension, and mandatory driver's school.
The drivers we spoke with on Wednesday have some advice too.
"Use those rideshare apps – call friends," Luis Moreno, a driver traveling from Illinois, said.
PennDOT says its campaign isn't just about Blackout Wednesday.
While it's emphasizing Wednesday night, the campaign will run through the holiday season.
