Law enforcement steps up drunk driving enforcement on ‘Saturation Saturday’
Euphenie Andre
COLUMMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
Law enforcement agencies across Missouri participated in Saturation Saturday, an annual event aimed at curbing impaired driving through coordinated checkpoints and increased patrols.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 27% of Missouri’s traffic deaths in 2022 were caused by impaired drivers. For Sheila Lockwood, a Mothers Against Drunk Driving ambassador, the fight against impaired driving is personal.
“It’s so important because we need to raise awareness,” Lockwood said. “People need to understand that no one has the right to get behind the wheel impaired.”
Lockwood became an ambassador for MADD seven years ago after her son, Austin, was killed by a drunk driver. He died just 15 days after celebrating his 23rd birthday.
“Everything I thought my life would be was ripped to shreds,” Lockwood said. “It destroyed every hope, every dream, every plan for the future that we had.”
NHTSA data shows that drivers between the ages of 21 and 24 are the most likely to be involved in alcohol-related crashes, making up 29% of impaired driving incidents. They are followed closely by drivers ages 25 to 34, who account for 28%.
The report also found that impaired driving crashes occur most often in July (10%) and August (9%), while February saw the lowest number of such crashes.
Law enforcement is reminding drivers to plan ahead this holiday weekend. That includes arranging a safe and sober ride before drinking, making sure no one drives under the influence, and ensuring guests at gatherings have safe rides home. Officials also stress the importance of wearing a seatbelt.