Drinking and driving; 'Blackout Wednesday' prompts warnings

WAUKESHA, Wis. - The night before Thanksgiving has earned a long list of nicknames over the years, including "Blackout Wednesday."

It’s a chance to meet up with old friends and toast to fond memories.

According to Greenfield Police Department Captain Matthew Borchardt, it’s also one of the most dangerous nights of the year.

"The impact can be devastating if you choose to get behind the wheel of a car drunk or impaired," Borchardt said.

Between 2017-2021, 137 people across the country died in fatal crashes from drinking and driving the night before Thanksgiving, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. That’s why law enforcement agencies across southeast Wisconsin are stepping up patrol efforts.

"I suspect that that number would be higher, if it weren’t for task forces like this one," Borchardt said. "Use a rideshare program, have a designated driver, call a sober friend."

It could be the difference in a decision you regret for the rest of your life.

"It’s preventable," Borchardt said. "It doesn’t have to happen."