As Johnson City prepares to celebrate July Fourth, the Johnson City Police Department wants to remind everyone about the dangers of impaired driving. JCPD is partnering with the Tennessee Highway Safety Office (THSO) to place additional officers on the lookout for impaired drivers as part of the “Booze It and Lose It” campaign this Fourth of July weekend. 

Statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), show the Fourth of July is one of the deadliest holidays on our nation’s roadways. From 2016 to 2020, there were 1,390 drivers killed in motor vehicle traffic crashes over the Fourth of July holiday period and 41 percent of those drivers had been drinking prior to their incidents.

The JCPD reminds everyone that buzzed driving is drunk driving. Working together, we can reduce crashes, injuries and deaths on Johnson City roadways. JCPD and THSO want to remind all drivers that impaired-driving is not only illegal, it is a matter of life and death. As people celebrate the Fourth of July holiday, the decision to not drink and drive should never be a tough one.

• It is never okay to drink and drive. Designate a sober driver or plan a ride service to get home safely.  Don’t let friends drive home drunk.
• If you see an impaired driver on the road, call 911.

The consequences of a single DUI conviction for a first-time offender in the state of Tennessee may include costly fines, court costs, legal fees, jail time, mandatory drug and alcohol treatment, and/or the installation of an ignition interlock device in their vehicle.

The THSO provides grant funding to support the department’s increased enforcement efforts during the “Booze It and Lose It” campaign. For more information about the THSO, please visit www.tntrafficsafety.org.

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