The month of December is National Impaired Driving Awareness Month and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office wants to highlight the importance of driving sober.

According to the National Safety Council, Christmas Eve and New Years Eve are two of the most celebrated days every year, but also two of the deadliest due to fatalities stemming from impaired driving. The National Safety Council also reports that nearly one third of all traffic fatalities that occur in the US are from an individual driving with a blood alcohol level above the legal limit of .08. Along with putting oneself and others in harm’s way, many legal consequences also occur from an OWI charge. Marion County Sheriff Jason Sandholdt says his department wants to make sure everyone is responsible when it comes to drinking this holiday season and year round and that he wants everyone to be safe.

“We all want to have a good time, we all want to be out there but the most important thing is to be safe. We just really need to encourage people to keep track of the number of drinks they have and plan. If they’re not going to drink, great, you can have  a great time without drinking but if you do decide you’re going to have a few beers, or shots, or whatever it is, know how much it is and know the time range of when you’re drinking. 

Sandholdt also mentioned that OWI’s can cost someone between $5,000 – $10,000 and that it is crucial to always have a plan for a sober ride even before you start drinking. Hear more from Sandholdt on today’s Let’s Talk Knoxville.