Law Enforcement officials across the state are increasing their presence over the holidays from rural South Dakota highways to busy city streets.
Saturation patrols and sobriety checkpoints are planned across the state--the goal is to stop drunk driving accidents and reduce holiday fatalities.
And it’s not just South Dakota, a national campaign with a slogan called “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” is underway.
The Rapid City Police Department is one of those taking part. Sergeant Scott Sitts says he hopes extra enforcement is a deterrent for anyone considering driving while drunk or impaired.
Sitts says it’s not hard to avoid getting a DUI.
“A lot of different things you can do. Call a taxi. Have a friend come pick you up. Call a family member. Just plan a head if you’re going to go out drinking just make sure you don’t drive. Leave your keys with someone who is sober or someone who can come pick you up later,” says Sitts.
This year Rapid City is seeing a five-year high in DUI arrests with more than 900 prior to the holidays. However the number is not significantly higher than previous years. Over the last 10 years DUI arrests in Rapid City have averaged about one-thousand annually.
