Remarks Prepared for Secretary Slater, Drunk and Drugged Driving National Press Conference

Rodney E. Slater, United States Secretary of Transportation
December 14, 2000

I am pleased to announce that tomorrow the United States Department of Transportation and its partners will begin the largest-ever mobilization to get impaired drivers off the road during Drunk and Drugged Driving (3D) Month. In the next three days, as part of our "You Drink and Drive. You Lose" campaign, thousands of law enforcement officers across the nation will operate sobriety checkpoints and saturation patrols.

And in announcing our latest mobilization, I would like to thank the thousands of law enforcement agencies -- and the officers here today -- who have made our past actions such a success. It is because of your hard work that alcohol-related deaths and injuries continue to decline. A year ago we began these mobilizations with 48 agencies. This weekend we will see checkpoints in all 50 states and the District of Columbia and in such far away places as American Samoa and Puerto Rico. And as more and more agencies join this partnership, we are confident of meeting our long-term goal of reducing alcohol-related traffic fatalities to less than 11,000 by the year 2005.

I would also like to congratulate MADD on their 20^th year of advocacy.

Indeed, many lives have already been saved because of vigilant enforcement and public education programs. Alcohol-related deaths last year reached an all time low of 15,786 deaths. And we set another historic low last year with alcohol being a factor in 38 percent of traffic fatalities, down from 43.5 percent in 1993. These figures are more than mere numbers -- they are the saved lives of our mothers and fathers, our sons and daughters, our brothers and sisters.

Clearly, we are moving in the right direction. But we have more work to do. Every 33 minutes someone in America dies as a result of impaired driving.

Our nationwide program of sobriety checkpoints and saturation patrols is just the latest of President Clinton and Vice President Gore’s successful efforts to keep impaired drivers off the streets. Two months ago we witnessed the President sign the historic .08 blood alcohol content (BAC) legislation. Before that, President Clinton fought for and signed into law "zero tolerance" for underage drinking and driving.

These successes have already made our highways safer. However, abstaining from drinking and driving, stopping a friend or loved one from doing so, and wearing a seat belt remain everyone’s best defenses against impaired drivers.

At the United States Department of Transportation, we believe that "Safety is a promise we make and keep together." Our "You Drink and Drive. You Lose," mobilization builds on our record and on our successful partnerships to make America’s roads safer. We have shown already that we can move from strength to strength and make a difference in the lives of our loved ones and in the lives of all Americans.

Source:  U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT)