Saving lives with Saturation Saturday, MADD and law enforcement unite against drunk driving

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) -- Law enforcement ramped up DUI enforcement Saturday night, joining a national effort to stop impaired drivers before tragedy strikes

The effort, known as Saturation Saturday, is a partnership between law enforcement agencies and Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) to increase enforcement and public awareness about the dangers of impaired driving. 

According to MADD, someone is killed or injured in a drunk driving crash every 85 seconds in the United States.

Saturation Saturday began eight years ago and now includes more than 260 law enforcement departments across 16 states and Puerto Rico. 

Prosecutors joined officers on ride-alongs to observe how DUI stops are handled in real time.

While arrests are sometimes part of the outcome, Sgt. Zeamer said the goal is to prevent crashes altogether.

In Missouri, impaired driving remains a serious issue. It accounts for 18 percent of traffic fatalities statewide, according to the Missouri Coalition for Roadway Safety. Impaired driving includes not only alcohol use, but also drug use, including prescription medications and marijuana.

According to the coalition, “drug-related fatalities have steadily increased over the last 10 years.”

Law enforcement and traffic safety advocates say efforts like Saturation Saturday are about more than citations and arrests; they’re about changing behavior and saving lives.