PSP Joins MADD Campaign

Harrisburg – Red ribbons will be displayed on all marked state police patrol vehicles through Jan. 1 in support of the annual Mothers Against Drunk Driving "Tie One on for Safety" public awareness campaign, Commissioner Frank E. Pawlowski announced today.

"We are joining with MADD in urging motorists to tie a red ribbon on their vehicles as a pledge to drive safe, sober and buckled up during the holidays and throughout the year," Pawlowski said. The ribbons will be tied to the left rear door handles of state police patrol vehicles, he said.

"We now are in the second year of a Checkpoint Strikeforce Initiative that aims to keep highways safe by removing impaired drivers from the road," he said. Under the initiative, which began in October 2008, each of the 15 regional state police troops conducts a random sobriety checkpoint on most weekends.

"We are determined to reduce drinking and driving in Pennsylvania," said Pawlowski, who noted that state police made a record 16,156 DUI arrests in 2008.

He said MADD offers the following holiday party tips to ensure everyone’s safety:

· Designate a sober driver before celebrations begin;

· Never serve alcohol to anyone under 21 years of age;

· Provide non-alcoholic drink options to guests and do not serve alcohol during the last hour of a gathering, and;

· Be prepared to get everyone home safely in case your plans or circumstances change.

Images provided by MADD