ABCC Kicks Off Enforcement Efforts Focusing on Impaired Driving

BOSTON — To ensure safety for the citizens of Massachusetts, the Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission (ABCC) will be conducting alcohol-enforcement operations at bars in major Massachusetts cities from Thanksgiving Eve through New Year’s Eve. 

The primary objective will be to prevent impaired driving and other alcohol-related harm during the holiday season, which is known for heavy alcohol consumption. The ABCC will focus enforcement efforts at bars identified as the last to sell alcohol to a convicted drunk driver.

“We want to ensure that the holiday season is enjoyed by everyone, and to do so, people need to celebrate in a responsible way,” said State Treasurer Deborah B. Goldberg, who oversees the ABCC. “Strong enforcement and helping to deter bar owners from overserving can prevent tragedies before they happen and helps to keep the public safe.”

The program is run in conjunction with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Impaired Driving Crackdown, from Thanksgiving Eve through New Year’s Eve, and is funded through the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security – Highway Safety Division.

The ABCC will also be working with local police departments that have identified high-risk locations in their communities.

Alcohol is involved in 40% of traffic-crash fatalities, resulting in about 17,000 fatalities and injuring an estimated 275,000 people annually. Data indicates that well over 50% of impaired-driving arrests originate at bars.