State "Booze It & Lose It" enforcement campaign continues through Sunday

A statewide anti-drunk driving campaign will continue through this weekend. 

The holiday “Booze It & Lose It Campaign” is meant to raise awareness about the dangers of drunk driving. Motorists can expect to see more highway enforcement patrols to crack down on impaired driving.

The campaign started on Monday, with stepped-up patrols continuing through Sunday.

At an event to launch this summer’s campaign, N.C. Governor’s Highway Safety Program Director Mark Ezell urged anyone planning on drinking alcohol to “rely on a designated driver, call a friend, use a cab or a ride-sharing service.”

According to a news release, more than 32 percent of the state’s 65 traffic fatalities for the last five years of published data were alcohol-related.

There is also an effort focusing on North Carolina’s waterways, as law enforcement officials with the state Wildlife Resources Commission increase marine patrols. One study indicates alcohol use is the leading contributor in recreational boating deaths.