DES MOINES, Iowa - The Iowa Department of Public Safety is launching a campaign to reduce drunk driving over the holiday season.
The agency says it is partnering with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to remove drunk drivers from the roads.
The department says drivers will see an increased presence of law enforcement on roads between this Friday and January 1st.
In a statement, the department said the Christmas holiday season is known for being the deadliest season for impaired driving.
The department's latest news release is titled 'Tis the season to drive safely.'
It quoted numerous statistics, including a total of 85 people in Iowa who died in alcohol related traffic accidents in 2018. Also, in 2018, 27 percent of the state traffic fatalities involved alcohol impaired driving.
The Iowa Department of Public Safety (DPS) is the largest law enforcement agency in the state, which includes six divisions and several bureaus.