The Asheville Police Department, in partnership with the Asheville Alcoholic Board of Control, will kick off the “Sober Hero” campaign on October 10th at the Oktoberfest event in downtown Asheville.
Rather than promoting the designated driver, this campaign will promote the sober driver – that is someone who has a system free of all drugs and alcohol. The idea behind the campaign was developed by Sgt. Ann Fowler and is the first of its kind in the nation.
The Asheville Police Department has partnered with the Asheville Downtown Association and will have a booth at the Oktoberfest event. Law enforcement officers will present at the event and will be handing out cups and wrist bands denoting the sober hero in your group, as well as providing important information on the campaign.
The campaign, whose slogan is “We Mustache You to Drive Sober”, encourages groups attending festivals or friends enjoying a night on the town to always have a sober driver. If a sober driver isn’t available you are encouraged to seek alternative transportation – call a buddy, ride the bus, take a cab or app your ride.
In 2014, the Asheville-Buncombe DWI Task Force had 529 arrests for driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol. As of September 1, 2015, there have been 359 DWI arrests.