Sober Sleigh Ride comes to Goodfellow

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Breonna Veal
  • 17th Training Wing Public Affairs
GOODFELLOW AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --  The Texas Department of Transportation brought their Sober Sleigh limousine to the Goodfellow theater, Dec. 5, to promote their Holiday P.A.S.S. or Person Appointed to Stay Sober Campaign.

Todd Deere, TxDOT safety representative, and other TxDOT volunteers brought the TxDOT Sober Sleigh to Goodfellow to express the importance of driving sober.

"The reason we're here is to promote the Sober Sleigh ride for the Christmas holidays," said Deere. "It's the campaign that TxDot comes out with every year and it basically says 'if you're going out to have good time make sure you have sober driver driving you home'."

Drunk driving can have fatal, monetary and judicial consequences that not only affect the driver, but also the victim.

According to Texas law, the first offense for driving under the influence is anywhere from three to 180 days of jail time, up to $2,000 in fines and a suspended license from 90 days up to a year. The second and third offenses have significantly higher jail time, fines and license suspensions. Drivers will also have to use an ignition interlock device, a breathalyzer which is connected to the vehicle dashboard and will lock the engine if the driver's alcohol content is above the programmed limit.

As stated by National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in 2012, 10,322 people died in drunk driving crashes - one every 51 minutes.

To reiterate the importance of having a designated driver, or not driving drunk at all, Deere handed out pledge cards to Team Goodfellow members as they entered the base theater. The pledge cards list several choices that party goers have to get home safely, such as calling cab or walking.

Team Goodfellow and TxDOT's goal this year is to not lose a service member or any member to drunk driving.

"The main reason for this campaign is to make sure everyone gets home safely and that you don't disrupt your family or anyone else's family," said Deere. "My message to everyone planning on drinking this holiday season is that it is okay to have fun and drink but please find someone sober to drive you home."

Deere stressed that it is important to plan ahead, have a designated driver before you go out and ensure you have a contact number for a back-up sober driver so that you can get home safely.