Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over kickoff event

Posted in Accident & Injury, Community Outreach on August 18, 2015

The Portage County Safe Communities Coalition kicked off their annual “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” event on Monday, August 17, 2015 at Robinson Memorial Hospital. The event featured local speakers who have endured personal losses due to alcohol-related crashes, local law enforcement and government officials.

Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over is a partnership with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to curb impaired driving and save lives. August 21-September 7 (Labor Day), law enforcement partners nationwide will show zero tolerance for drunk driving. Increased state and national messaging about the dangers of driving drunk, coupled with checkpoints and increased officers on the road, aim to drastically reduce the toll of drunk driving.

“Portage County Safe Communities’ goal is to not only prepare the public for the national Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over Campaign, but also to remind everyone their choice to drink and drive creates a danger for all of us on the roadways,” says Lynette Blasiman, the Director of Portage County Safe Communities Coalition.

During the event, members of the Coalition recognized Troopers for a Safer Ohio and David Elk of the Elk & Elk law firm for their commitment to reducing drunk and distracted driving. Earlier this year, Elk & Elk was the Presenting Sponsor of the 2015 None 4 Under 21 and Choices Beyond event, which focuses on the long-term consequences of everyday choices and seeks to reduce preventable teen crashes due to drunk and distracted driving. “Unfortunately, as personal injury lawyers, we see the devastating effects of drunk and distracted driving every day,” says Elk. “It is our privilege to provide financial support and other contributions, enabling more than 2,000 Northeast Ohio high school students to attend this life-saving event each year.”