Commentary: Today, Governor Susana Martinez unveiled a powerful new TV ad to combat drunk driving. The ad – which can be viewed here – centers around a terrified girl whose intoxicated father is behind the wheel of their family vehicle, swerving in and out of lanes and putting lives in danger. The Governor also announced that law enforcement – both state and local – will join a nationwide effort to crackdown on drunk driving throughout the Labor Day holiday.
“As summer comes to a close and families prepare to celebrate Labor Day, it’s important that we remind New Mexicans to never drink and drive. This ad sends a strong message: if you get behind the wheel after drinking, you pay the price,” Governor Martinez said. “The fact is, drunk driving is 100 percent preventable. There are simply no excuses. And at the state level, we’re going to continue to do everything we can to prevent it from happening.”
New Mexico will team up with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign that’s working with states across the country to fight drunk driving. Through Labor Day, officer patrols will increase across New Mexico, and the new TV ad will air statewide. During last year’s crackdown, more than 360 arrests were made, 128 for DWI and 240 misdemeanor felony and drug arrests.
“New Mexico State Police and law enforcement will be out in force on our roadways, waterways, forests trails, rural highways, neighborhoods and city streets protecting the people of this great state,” the Department of Public Safety Secretary Scott Weaver said. “Expect to see law enforcement conducting sobriety checkpoints, group patrols and arresting intoxicated drivers.”
The Governor has made fighting DWI a priority of her administration. This year, the Governor enacted legislation that increased penalties against drunk drivers to some of the toughest in the region. Last year, she launched a series of executive initiatives to fight DWI, including: targeting repeat offenders and the establishments that over-serve them; a court monitoring program that will place citizens inside courtrooms in five counties to shed light on how DWI cases are handled; and an ongoing roundup of DWI fugitives.
“We’re proud to work with NHTSA and New Mexico’s law enforcement to target DWI,” NMDOT Cabinet Secretary Tom Church said. “Every family deserves to have a safe and fun Labor Day. No one should have to worry about the danger of a drunk driver on the road.”