The Nebraska State Patrol already has made nearly 200 more DUI arrests through early December than all of last year, while the Lincoln Police Department is on track to issue more DUI citations this year than in 2023.

In August, LPD handed out 137 DUI citations, the most in a single month in the past 10 years, according to Crime Analysis and Intelligence Unit data. LPD spokesperson Erika Thomas said an increase in enforcement efforts could be behind the rise in DUIs, which are at their highest levels since at least 2017.

December is National Impaired Driving Prevention Month, and the State Patrol, LPD and other law enforcement agencies have been focusing on finding impaired drivers during this holiday season.

LPD was awarded a grant from the Nebraska Department of Transportation to fund the additional hours needed for police to enforce impaired driving.

Since Dec. 1, LPD has been conducting a specialized project centering on impaired driving that will carry through the end of the year. The project is part of the nationwide "Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over" campaign.

From Dec. 1-8, LPD issued 38 DUI citations, Thomas shared that there were 38 DUIs, up from 26 during the same span in 2023.

The average number of LPD citations for DUIs in December since 2015 is 88.3.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported that more than 4,700 lives were lost in drunk-driving crashes in the month of December between 2018 and 2022 nationally.

"The holidays come with all sorts of celebrations, many involving alcohol," said State Patrol Colonel John Bolduc.

The State Patrol was allocated $42,886 in grant money from the Nebraska Department of Transportation to focus on impaired driving enforcement.

Officers are taking a zero-tolerance stance to drivers who are under the influence of drugs or alcohol, Thomas said, and not just during the holidays.

LPD DUI citations were up 14% in 2023 compared with 2022. And through November of this year, they are up 5% compared with the same 11 months in 2023.

The State Patrol has seen an even bigger increase in the number of DUI arrests in the last two years, with 2023 seeing a 23% increase from 2022.

Troopers made 962 arrests related to DUIs in 2022. The following year, the number jumped to 1,188. Through early December, the State Patrol had already made 1,339 arrests this year.

Getting more impaired drivers off the state's roads can help prevent serious accidents.

Statistics from the National Highway Safety Administration showed that 67 roadway fatalities in Nebraska were alcohol-related in 2022, accounting for 28% of all fatalities that year.

In August, 39-year-old David Warren of Beatrice was found guilty of manslaughter and driving under the influence, causing serious bodily injuries from an October 2023 crash.

Warren was sentenced to 20 years in prison for driving drunk, which led to the death of 53-year-old Bradley Kreifels of Crete.

Deputies with the Lancaster County Sheriff's Office were sent to the crash near Southwest 14th Street and Nebraska 33 on Oct. 28, 2023.

Chief Deputy Ben Houchin, at a press conference after the crash, said an SUV driven by Warren was traveling north on Southwest 14th Street when it collided with the rear of a grain trailer being hauled by a semi. The SUV spun into the southbound lane, crashing into the vehicle Kreifels and a passenger were in.

Deputies discovered a four-vehicle crash in the area. Kreifels was pronounced dead at the scene. A 54-year-old woman suffered serious injuries, while Warren ended up in the bed of Kreifels's pickup truck with a serious leg injury.

According to court documents, multiple 99-proof bottles were found inside Warren's car, and his blood alcohol content was 0.176, more than double the legal limit.

Kreifels' family was in attendance at Warren's sentencing, and they were in tears as Warren asked for their forgiveness. Warren's family was also in attendance, sniffling as they wiped tears after hearing the sentence he received for his actions.

"There are people who aren't even born when crashes happen who live their life impacted by an impaired driver," Mother Against Drunk Driving Mission Operations Director Erin Payton said.

"We work with victims every single day who had their families and lives torn apart (from crashes with an impaired driver)," she said.

Payton said she understands that the holiday season is a time of joy, which may lead to social drinking for some. But she said the key is to have a plan before going out somewhere you know you will be consuming alcohol or drugs.

Ride-sharing apps like Uber or Lyft are great alternatives to driving. Payton and law enforcement also recommend designating a sober driver.

"We know alcohol is part of people's lives. What we ask is before you go out for these celebrations and these fun times with family and friends, before you even leave the house.