Law enforcement agencies across Iowa will be cracking down on drunk drivers this 4th of July holiday.

The next special Traffic Enforcement Program (sTEP) Wave is from July 3rd-7th with the “Driver Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration from 2017, the 4th of July holiday resulted in 601 people dying in motor vehicle crashes. During that same time period, four Iowans were killed. 

The NHTSA reports that 60-percent of those who died in alcohol related crashes had a Blood Alcohol Content level of .15, nearly twice the legal limit of .08. An OWI can cost you up to $10,000 and you could serve jail time. The Iowa Department of Public Safety, the Governor’s Traffic Safety Bureau and the Jefferson Police Department remind motorists to make a plan and have a designated driver before consuming alcohol during the 4th of July holiday.