CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office has partnered with the Tennessee Highway Safety Office (THSO) to increase impaired-driving enforcement through the holiday season.

The THSO’s statewide “Booze It and Lose It” campaign is part of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s nationwide mobilization known as “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over.”

The MCSO said in a news release they will have extra patrols monitoring high traffic areas to promote safe driving and that deputies will be working to keep unsafe drivers off the road while conducting appropriate enforcement action when necessary.

“Our goal is to keep our community safe,” said Sheriff John Fuson in a news release. “Traffic congestion, speeding, and impaired driving are just a few of the things that make driving dangerous, especially during the holidays. I will have extra deputies out in all areas of the county working diligently to make our roadways as safe as possible.”

The consequences of a single DUI conviction for a first-time offender in the state of Tennessee may include costly fines, court costs, legal fees, jail time and mandatory drug and alcohol treatment. Offenses could also lead to the installation of an ignition interlock device in the offender’s vehicle.

Increased state and national messaging about the dangers of drunk driving, coupled with increased sobriety checkpoints and high visibility enforcement, aim to drastically reduce the number of drunk-driving crashes, injuries and fatalities, the news release said.

The THSO provides grant funding to support the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office’s increased enforcement efforts during the holiday campaign.

You can visit the THSO website to find more information on traffic safety initiatives.