The Simpsonville Police Department says it's stepping up efforts to keep drivers safe this holiday season as the city joins the national "Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over" campaign.
Simpsonville Police Chief Mike Hanshaw says officers will be out in full force looking for impaired drivers to keep the community safe.
In 2024, State date shows DUI-related crashes in Greenville County increased 14%.
In South Carolina, the legal Blood Alcohol Concentration limit is .08 for drivers 21 and older, though officers can arrest at lower levels if impairment is obvious. First offenses run $900 to over $2,000 before court fees and may bring jail time, a suspended license, and other penalties—more severe for repeat offenders.
In a press release the city said the campaign will run through January 1, 2026, and should anyone come across a driver who they believe is impaired, call 911.
The "Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over" campaign is a national effort led by the U.S. Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and local law enforcement to deter impaired driving.
Press Release below from the City of Simpsonville:
Simpsonville, SC — From Dec. 10, 2025 to Jan. 1, 2026, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Simpsonville Police Department will step up efforts to stop impaired driving and protect road users’ safety in alignment with the winter holiday high-visibility enforcement campaign, Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over.
Like other festive seasons, the winter holidays are a time of year when many alcohol-impaired-driving deaths occur. In the combined Decembers of 2019-2023, nearly 5,000 road users were killed in traffic crashes involving a drive impaired by alcohol. The South Carolina Department of Public Safety’s statistics for 2018-2022 show that there were more than 28,000 DUI-related collisions reported statewide. According to the SC Department of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Services, DUI related crashes in Greenville County increased by almost 14 percent in 2024.
“Not only is driving impaired illegal, it is dangerous and 100 percent preventable,” Simpsonville Police Chief Mike Hanshaw said. “Our police officers will be out in full force to pull over impaired drivers and remove them from the roads to ensure our community stays safe. We ask everyone to follow the law and do their part to keep themselves and other road users safe throughout the winter holiday season. Drunk driving fatalities can be prevented when everyone keeps road safety in mind as they prepare for holiday celebrations.”
If alcohol is a part of your holiday festivities, the Simpsonville Police Department encourages drivers to plan a safe and sober ride by doing the following:
Schedule a ride-share ahead of time
Reserve a cab, Uber, or other ride-share service
Arrange for or a ask a friend or family member to drive you home
Don’t wait until after drinking to plan how to get somewhere: impairment clouds a person’s judgment.
If a driver finds they are unable to drive, they should give their keys to a sober driver so that person can get them home safely. When a friend has been drinking and is considering driving, friends should be proactive — take away the keys and help them get a sober ride home. If anyone spots a drunk driver, contact the Simpsonville Police Department by dialing 911.
For more information on impaired driving, visit www.nhtsa.gov/risky-driving/drunk-driving.
South Carolina Department of Public Safety’s (SCDPS): https://scdps.sc.gov/scsoberorslammer
SC DAODAS: https://www.daodas.sc.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/FY-2024-DAODAS-County-Profiles-UPDATED-4-16-25.pdf