Nationally, during the 2017 July 4th holiday period, 601 people died in motor vehicle crashes, or, an average of 134 per day. During that same time there were four fatalities on Iowa roads.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 60 percent of those who died in alcohol related crashes were in vehicles involving a driver with a Blood Alcohol Content of .15 or higher, almost two times the legal limit of .08.

Law enforcement agencies across Iowa will be participating in the national Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign from July 3 to July 7.

In an effort to combat drunk driving officers will be exhibiting zero tolerance for impaired drivers.

Besides the possibility of serious injury and death to the impaired driver he or she is endangering the lives of anyone else in their vehicle, or anyone that they may encounter on the road. There is also a financial aspect of driving impaired. An OWI arrest can cost up to $10,000. Drivers could lose their license, their car, and their job or could serve jail time. Law enforcement encourages all to make a plan during the holiday weekend – have a designated driver, call a taxi, or other rideshare service.