According to Lt. Will Dawson of the Greenwood Police Department drunk driving is one of America's deadliest crimes. In 2008, 11,773 people died in highway crashes involving a driver or motorcycle with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 or higher. The statistics' for women is particularly concerning. Twenty-one percent of the 5,473 female drivers killed in crashes in 2008 had BAC levels of .08 or higher.

That is why the Greenwood Police Department will join other police agencies throughout the state and across the country in support of an intense crackdown on impaired driving this holiday season as they participate in the "Drunk Driving, Over the Limit, Under Arrest" campaign.

"All too often innocent law-abiding citizens suffer tragic loses of family members due to impaired drivers. So make no mistake, if we catch you driving impaired, we will arrest you. It's that simple", said Dawson. Added patrols will be out looking for impaired drivers throughout this upcoming holiday season. Sobriety checkpoints, saturation patrols and the use of unmarked cars will be used in an effort to get more drunk drivers off the road.

"It simply isn't worth the risk", stated Dawson. "You're looking at time in jail, the loss of your license, fines, higher insurance rates and attorney fees". "I don't know who has extra money for that in these tough financial times. I highly suggest you designate someone to drive or to call a cab. Remember, if you are over the limit, no matter who you are or what you're driving, and we catch you, you are under arrest".

The Greenwood Police Department was the recipient of money under a grant received from the State of Arkansas and will use part of these funds for this increased enforcement over the holidays. "The overtime is completely paid for by the grant", said Lt. Dawson. "The money is a blessing as it helps us increase the safety of our citizen's at a time when impaired drivers are out on our roads at an ever increasing and alarming rate".

The national Drunk Driving. Over the Limit. Under Arrest. Impaired driving crackdown is led by the U.S. Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and is used as a deterrent by combining high-visibility enforcement with heightened public awareness through advertising and publicity.

"There should be no question as to someone's awareness of our increased efforts as a law enforcement community to find and arrest impaired drivers", said Lt. Will Dawson. $7.5 million in paid-national advertising has been spent this December to advise people thinking of driving under the influence that if they are caught driving impaired, they will be arrested.

For more information, visit www.Stopimpaireddriving.org.