Law enforcement agencies across Berks County are increasing efforts to deter impaired driving as part of the national Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over winter holiday enforcement campaign.
According to the Exeter Township Police Department, the high-visibility initiative will run through Jan. 1, 2026, in coordination with the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. During that period, Berks County police departments will conduct stepped-up patrols aimed at identifying and removing impaired drivers from local roadways.
The campaign coincides with a time of year when alcohol-related crashes historically increase. National data shows that between December 2019 and December 2023, nearly 5,000 people were killed in crashes involving alcohol-impaired drivers. In December 2023 alone, more than 1,000 fatalities were linked to impaired driving, with a majority involving drivers whose blood alcohol concentration was nearly twice the legal limit.
“Not only is driving impaired illegal, it is dangerous and never acceptable,” said Sgt. David Bentz, of the Exeter Township Police Department, who also serves as Berks County coordinator for the North Central Regional DUI Enforcement Program. “Our law enforcement officers will be out in full force to pull over impaired drivers and remove them from the roads to ensure our community stays safe. We ask everyone to follow the law and do their part to keep themselves and other road users safe throughout the winter holiday season.”
Police are urging residents to plan ahead if they intend to consume alcohol, including arranging for a designated sober driver or using a taxi or rideshare service. Officials also encourage friends and family members to intervene if someone who has been drinking is considering driving, and to contact 911 if a suspected impaired driver is observed on the road.
For more information on impaired driving, visit www.nhtsa.gov/risky-driving/drunk-driving.
