Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin has announced increased efforts to prevent drunk driving during the holiday season as part of the statewide “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign. The initiative includes more law enforcement patrols and sobriety checkpoints across Virginia from December 10, 2025, through January 1, 2026.
“This holiday season, Virginians have the opportunity to make a responsible choice that can save lives: a safe ride home for someone who has been drinking,” said Governor Glenn Youngkin. “Because every drunk driving fatality, injury, crash, and arrest is 100-percent preventable, Virginia’s ‘Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over’ DUI enforcement and public education campaign is focused on keeping our roads safe throughout the holiday season. Virginians who choose to celebrate with alcohol are urged to plan ahead and always get home safely.”
Law enforcement agencies will conduct saturation patrols and sobriety checkpoints throughout the state during this period. According to state data, there were 318 deaths in alcohol-related crashes in Virginia last year—an increase of 8.5% compared to the previous year.
The campaign also features an expanded media presence this year. Public service announcements titled “What’s the Damage” highlight the financial consequences of a DUI conviction and will be visible not only on television and social media but also at locations where alcohol is sold. The creative content for these messages can be viewed at WhatsTheDamage.org.
Since its launch in 2002, “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” has contributed to progress in reducing impaired driving incidents in Virginia. In the past five years, alcohol-related traffic crashes have declined by four percent between 2019 and 2024.
The campaign is supported by a grant from the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles to the Washington Regional Alcohol Program (WRAP), a nonprofit organization based in Virginia.
