MOCO Holiday DUI Enforcement: Task Force In 5th Week Of Patrol

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, MD — A task force of Montgomery County Police officers is dedicated to detecting drivers operating under the influence this holiday season. The officers just completed their fourth week of patrol.

Drivers arrested by officers in this task force were either under the influence of alcohol or drugs, according to police. The arrests below include DUI arrests made only by the task force — it does not include those made by officers on their regular nightly patrol, meaning the total number of DUI arrests in Montgomery County over this period will be higher than the following numbers.

• Week One (Nov. 17, 18, 19, 20 and 21): 37 arrests
• Week Two (Nov. 24, 25, 26, 27 and 28): 36 arrests
• Week Three (Dec. 1, 2, 3 and 4): 43 arrests
• Week Four (Dec. 8, 9, 10 and 11): 57 arrests

Incidents of drunk driving and driving under the influence of drugs often increase during the holiday season, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). There were 210 drunk driving-related deaths during the Christmas and New Year's season in 2019, according to the administration. In the whole month of December 2019, 837 people died in drunk driving crashes.

"If you have a holiday gathering on your calendar, make smart choices and plan out how you’re going to get home safely once the celebration ends," the NHTSA recommended to stay safe this season. "If you are the designated driver, make a commitment to 100% sobriety to keep you and your friends safe. If you see an impaired driver on the road, contact local law enforcement immediately."

The NHTSA said that risky driving has worsened during the pandemic.

"As we've seen since the public health emergency began, drivers are making riskier decisions when they're behind the wheel — including drinking and driving," the administration said on its website. "As the year comes to a close and a new one begins, make it a point to drive sober every day."