Several Local Law Enforcement Agencies Participating in Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over Campaign

Friday, December 12th, 2025 -- 10:00 AM

From December 10, 2025, through January 1, 2026, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, along with Central Wisconsin Law Enforcement Agencies, including the Marathon County Sheriff’s Office, Wausau Police Department, Stratford Police Department, Marshfield Police Department, Wood County Sheriff’s Department, and Pittsville Police Department, are stepping up enforcement to get impaired drivers off the roads this holiday season.

They will step up efforts to stop impaired driving and protect road users’ safety in alignment with the winter holiday high-visibility enforcement campaign, Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over.

Like other festive seasons, the winter holidays are a time of year when many alcohol-impaired-driving fatalities occur. In the combined Decembers of 2019-2023, 4,931 road users were killed in traffic crashes involving an alcohol-impaired driver.

In December 2023 alone, there were 1,038 alcohol-impaired-driving fatalities, 697 of which involved a driver with a blood alcohol concentration of .15 g/dL or higher, nearly twice the legal limit in almost every state.

Currently Marathon County is above the State average of persons killed by an impaired driver. With the State average being 30% of all persons killed on highways are by an impaired driver. While Marathon County is at 42% of all persons killed on highways are by an impaired driver.

According to the latest WisDOT data for years 2022 through 2024. Drivers should be safe during this winter holiday season by planning ahead if they intend to drink. They shouldn’t wait until after drinking to plan how to get somewhere. Impairment clouds a person’s judgment.

Drivers should secure a designated sober driver or call a taxi or rideshare for a sober ride home. If a driver finds they are unable to drive, they should give their keys to a sober driver so that person can get them home safely.

When a friend has been drinking and is considering driving, friends should be proactive, take away the keys and help them get a sober ride home. If anyone spots a drunk driver, contact the Marathon County Dispatch Center at 715-261-1200 opt. 1.

For more information on impaired driving, visit www.nhtsa.gov/risky-driving/drunk-driving.

Feel free to contact us with questions and/or comments.