700 arrests by DUI Strike Team, impact drawing interest from northern Nevada, Australia

LAS VEGAS (KSNV) — One bad decision, one mistake can change a family forever.

Crashes involving suspected impaired drivers are avoidable if people make the right decision to not get behind the wheel.

“Unfortunately, we have had impaired driving fatalities in the last seven months, but it has been dramatically reduced,” said Andrew Bennett with the Nevada Office of Traffic Safety.

Bennett says just recently, the DUI Stike Team made its 700th arrest.

It's a number that not only reveals the amount of lives potentially saved, but also shows us just how serious the problem is.

“At the end of the day, 700 is high. We’ve talked about that before. The fact that you know eight people out there four nights a week can get 700 arrests is incredible,” Bennett said.

The DUI Strike Team's work is drawing interest.

“We’ve had everybody from the Australian Government to Northern Nevada and everywhere in between reach out to us and see what we are doing,” Bennett said.

Bennett says what the team is doing is working, but there is room for progress, including the community's understanding to never drive while impaired.

“Where do we go from here? Education is important as well continued enforcement,” he said.