National Drunk and Drugged Driving Prevention Month, 2002

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Title 3--
The President

Proclamation 7632 of December 3, 2002

National Drunk and Drugged Driving Prevention
Month, 2002

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

Drunk and drugged driving threatens the safety of
millions of Americans. Reducing the incidence of
impaired driving remains one of our Nation's greatest
challenges. As we gather with family and friends to
celebrate this holiday season, I urge all Americans to
observe National Drunk and Drugged Driving Prevention
Month by making responsible choices that will help keep
our roads safer for all.

Drunk driving accidents take a life every 30 minutes
and injure someone every 2 minutes. In the last 24
months, 41 percent of those killed in traffic
accidents, which is almost 35,000 Americans, have been
killed in alcohol-related crashes. To better protect
our citizens and decrease the number of drunk and
drugged driving traffic accidents, we must work
together to educate our communities about the
seriousness of this offense and we must raise awareness
of its devastating consequences.

My Administration supports efforts to save lives and
prevent injuries resulting from impaired driving. The
Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration (NHTSA) works with local law
enforcement agencies that conduct sobriety checkpoints
and saturation patrols; and it also supports State
efforts to pass legislation that increases punishment
for those who drink and drive.

The NHTSA and its State and local partners are
dedicated to eliminating impaired driving and stopping
the associated injuries and fatalities. The NHTSA's
national safety campaign--You Drink & Drive. You
Lose.--aims to lower America's impaired driving
fatality rate to less than 11,000 people per year by
the year 2005. By providing its partner organizations
with guidance on overcoming this national challenge,
this important campaign is assisting local law
enforcement agencies, community groups and
organizations, public health professionals, and
businesses to coordinate and address this vital issue.

As part of the You Drink & Drive. You Lose. campaign,
law enforcement agencies across the Nation will be out
in full force from December 20, 2002, to January 5,
2003, to stop drunk and drugged driving. During the
holiday season, organizations and citizens throughout
the country also will be working to prevent this deadly
activity by encouraging citizens to choose sober,
designated drivers, keep impaired family members and
friends off our roads, report drivers who are under the
influence, and educate young people about safe,
alcohol- and drug-free driving behavior. Through
cooperation and determination, every American can do
something to make a difference and help stop impaired
drivers before they harm others.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the
United States of America, by virtue of the authority
vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United
States, do hereby proclaim December 2002 as National
Drunk and Drugged Driving Prevention Month. I call upon
State and community leaders to join the You Drink &
Drive. You Lose. national mobilization between December
20, 2002, and January 5, 2003. I also urge all
Americans to work to enhance the safety of our Nation's
roadways and protect the

well-being of our drivers, passengers, and pedestrians
during this holiday season and every day of the year.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
third day of December, in the year of our Lord two
thousand two, and of the Independence of the United
States of America the two hundred and twenty-seventh.

(Presidential Sig.)B