More Impaired Driving Patrols Coming To Walpole

WALPOLE, MA — Walpole police are increasing enforcement against impaired driving during the final weeks of summer.

The Walpole Police Department announced Friday that it received grant funding from the Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety and Security to add impaired driving patrols in town over the coming weeks. The patrols are part of the national Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign, which aims to prevent impaired driving around the Labor Day holiday.

More than 12,000 people are killed in drunk-driving crashes each year, amounting to about one death every 42 minutes, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Alcohol-impaired drivers were involved in 30 percent of all U.S. traffic deaths in 2023, according to the agency.

Police urged anyone who has been drinking to designate a sober driver or use a taxi or ride-sharing service.

"If you think you’ve had too much to drink, please designate a sober driver or utilize a ride-sharing service,"Walpole police wrote in the announcement. "If you are the designated driver, it is important to take this role seriously and not consume alcohol. The effects of impaired driving last far beyond you. Thank you and stay safe."

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