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“Drive sober or get pulled over” is a saying that law enforcement across Troup County is echoing throughout the holiday season. 

“We understand that during this timeframe and during the holidays that there’s people or members of the community that are going to be consuming alcoholic beverages,” said Georgia State Patrol Post Commander Sgt. Scott Jeter. “We just want to make sure that everyone has a designated driver or a sober driver to make sure they get them home safely.” 

All agencies, including the LaGrange Police Department, GSP and the Troup County Sheriff’s Office, will be ramping up patrol through the new year to keep drivers safe on the road. 

“We’ll be using our skills and training to detect any kind of impaired driving,” Jeter said. “We always amp up during the holidays. We see drunk drivers all through the year, but we all know that people tend to celebrate a little bit more during the holidays.” 

Jeter said that the best way to avoid being arrested for DUI is to pass the keys to a sober driver.

According to the Georgia Department of Driver Services, more than 19,000 drivers in Georgia were convicted of a DUI charge in 2019. 

“We expect more people on the roadways because due to COVID not as many people are flying, and there are more people driving instead,” Jeter said. “In the past year, we have seen a decrease in traffic but through the holidays it has been pretty consistent with years past.” 

The “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign will begin Monday throughout Georgia. 

“It’s also not just about drunk driving,” said LPD Sgt. Marshall McCoy. 

“It’s also about distracted driving and speeding. This time of season, what you’re seeing is people are in a hurry to get to their company party, their family party or their friend’s party. They’re in a hurry to get that last-minute Christmas present.” 

McCoy warned that if a driver is texting and driving, they will be pulled over. 

“You’ll start seeing some extra safety check points throughout the county,” McCoy said. “You’ll see them especially on New Year’s Eve.” 

McCoy said the biggest and best thing you can do is plan ahead. 

“The last thing we want in our county is a traffic fatality anywhere in the county,” McCoy said. 

Jeter said they have already seen enough tragedy this year and hopes the community ends 2020 on a positive note without any traffic fatalities.