May 5-8, 2022

Cinco De Mayo celebrations in America date back to the country’s founding. To help keep our community safe, Hope Police Department is teaming up with the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to spread the message about the dangers of drunk driving. Even one drink can be one too many.

“We understand people want to celebrate, and we want our community to enjoy Cinco De Mayo, but we also want to impress upon everyone the importance of planning ahead for a sober driver,” said Assistant Chief Tomlin.

According to NHTSA, 10,142 people were killed in drunk-driving crashes in 2019. On average, more than 10,000 people were killed each year from 2015 to 2019 — one person was killed in a drunk-driving crash every 52 minutes in 2019. “Drunk drivers are a continuing problem on our nation’s roads, especially around days like Cinco De Mayo,” said Tomlin.

Drivers should also keep an eye out for pedestrians who have had too much to drink. Walking while intoxicated can also be deadly, as lack of attention to their surroundings could put pedestrians at risk of getting hit by a vehicle.

For more information about the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign, visit www.nhtsa.gov/risky-driving/drunk-driving.