The holidays are here. That means it’s time for eggnog, ugly sweaters, and our yearly effort to get drunk drivers off the roads. This is an effort is to remind Idahoans to Be Here Tomorrow and to celebrate safely and to have a plan for a sober ride home.
This year, the Office of Highway Safety and law enforcement agencies across the state will get some help from an unexpected place – 210 unexpected places to be exact.
During the holiday season, messages reminding revelers to celebrate safely will appear on interactive jukeboxes in 210 bars around Idaho, many of them in rural areas where impaired driving is more prevalent. As bar-goers celebrate the holidays at participating bars, they will see messages encouraging them to get a sober ride home.
In addition to seeing OHS messages, jukebox users will also be able to earn a free song by participating in a quiz about drunk driving. Most importantly, the screen will provide numbers for local taxi services and wait times for ride share services.
The goal of this new approach is to help people make the right choice before they get behind the wheel – law enforcement officers will be on the lookout for those who make the wrong choice.