Drinking and driving costs more than your drinks.

Don’t pay with your livelihood or worse, your life. Make the safer (and cheaper) choice. Plan a sober ride.

2024 Was Damaging in Virginia

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Virginia’s Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over Campaign

Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over is a high-visibility enforcement campaign aimed at preventing impaired driving and improving safety for all road users through awareness messaging and increased law enforcement presence on the road. Virginia’s Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign is supported by a grant from the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles to the Virginia-based nonprofit Washington Regional Alcohol Program (WRAP).

Since the start of the campaign in 2002, there has been notable progress in reducing drunk driving in Virginia. Alcohol-related traffic crashes have decreased by 38%, fatalities have decreased by 18%, and injuries have been nearly halved (46%) (2001 vs.2023, Virginia DMV).

Know the Law

Virginia has some of the strongest drunk driving laws in the nation, which also apply to drugged driving.

First-Time Offenders

First-time offenders lose their driver’s license for a year, and have a mandatory ignition interlock device when they begin driving again.

Learn more

Repeat Offenders

A three-year driver’s license suspension occurs after a second conviction, and 20 days in jail is required for a second conviction within five years.

Learn more

Know the lives

Experience real stories from real Virginians that reveal the devastating consequences of impaired driving.

Image of Melissa Haislip
On June 18, 2014, Vanessa Haislip’s world stopped when her daughter, Melissa, a kind-hearted young woman with a passion for life, was taken from her by a drunk driver. The crash was preventable, a devastating reminder of the ripple effects one bad decision can have. Every year, Vanessa shares Melissa’s story with young people, urging them to think twice before getting behind the wheel: “Call a friend. Call an Uber. It’s that simple. There’s no excuse not to.”
image of Alex Sherman, a victim of drunk driving
Caitlin Sherman lost her cousin Alex in a devastating car crash in 2007, just before his senior year of high school. Alex had been drinking at a party and got into a car with a friend who was also intoxicated. Without wearing a seatbelt, Alex was thrown from the vehicle when it crashed, suffering fatal injuries.
image of the crash site of Ellen Kamilakis; the other driver's car's front end is destroyed
Ellen’s life changed forever when an impaired driver struck her vehicle head-on in Northern Virginia. Driving her Jeep along a four-lane road, Ellen had no time to react as the oncoming car intentionally veered into her lane, hitting her with immense force. Her vehicle was pushed across lanes and onto a nearby bike path, leaving her disoriented but alive. As a transportation communications professional, Ellen was no stranger to alcohol-related crash stories, but this time, it was her own.
image of Gregory Congleton, a victim of drunk driving, holding an infant
Brock Congleton lost his father to a drunk driving crash in Prince George County, Virginia. After years of battling alcoholism, Brock’s father was driving under the influence when his car flipped three times on a back road. Though once a devoted father and community member, his relationship with alcohol had spiraled, ultimately costing him his life. Brock’s story is a poignant reminder of how deeply addiction and impaired driving can affect families and communities.

Click the image above to download photo.

SOCIAL MEDIA TOOLKIT

Our Social Media Toolkit equips law enforcement with templates for post copy and images to support anti-drunk driving efforts. Download these resources to enhance your agency’s digital outreach and promote safer communities.

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Full toolkit

Resources

Avoiding the consequences of drunk driving is simple: don’t drink and drive. Instead, explore the following resources to ensure a safe return home:

Additional Resources

blog Posts

Virginia’s Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign is a high-visibility enforcement campaign aimed at preventing impaired driving and improving safety for all road users through awareness messaging and increased law enforcement presence on the road.

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