Hamilton County, TN - is partnering with the Tennessee Highway Safety Office (THSO) to enhance drunk-driving enforcement from December 15th to January 1st, surrounding the Holiday Season. The statewide Booze It and Lose It Campaign is part of a national mobilization to prevent drunk driving.

During this time, the HCSO will be involved in helping to inform drivers about the dangers of drunk driving and will assist and conduct with sobriety checkpoints and saturation patrols that are aimed to drastically reduce alcohol-impaired driving.

"This time last year, there were 223 lives lost to impaired--riving crashes across Tennessee," said THSO Director Vic Donoho. "Our partnership with local law enforcement is vital to combat drunk driving this holiday season."

A single DUI conviction can cost an individual $5,000 or more, in addition to jail time. An offender could also be required to attend drug and alcohol treatment or to install an ignition interlock device inside his/her vehicle. Any penalty imposed by law pales in comparison to the injury or death of a loved one.

The THSO provides grant funding to support the HCSO’s efforts during the Booze It and Lose It holiday enforcement campaign. For more information about the THSO, visit www.tntrafficsafety.org or contact Arriale Tabson at Arriale.Tabson@TN.gov.

For more information regarding the HCSO, please contact J. Matt Lea at jlea@hcsheriff.gov.