, rich leotta spoke to officers from law enforcement agencies assembled for the 2017 holiday alcohol task force. in the nearly two years since officer leotta's death he was struck by a drunk driver while working on this same task force, his family has become a vocal force for tougher penalties. >> i can't change what happened to my son. but i can try to make certain that it doesn't happen to anybody else and save lives. >> reporter: policea with mothers against drunk driving says statistics show thanksgiving weekend has become the deadliest on the nation's roadways. >> over the past four years drunk driving crashes killed more than 800 people over the long thanksgiving holiday weekend, making it the deadliest holiday on our roadways. >> reporter: this task force will continue through the new year's eve holiday. live in montgomery county, jackie bensen, news 4. >> jackie, thank you. >>> well, thanksgiving travel hit its peak today. hour earlier tonight. hopefully, it will be a little easier to get to where you're going between now and sunday. news 4's david culver caught up with some

officer noah leotta was hit and killed on rockville pike. his father came to speak to the officers about how important this is and the work they're doing and we talked to him as well and his work on noah's law which beefed up the enforcement after someone is convicted in montgomery countsy you now will have interlock device nut your car. here's what his father had to say. >> we're here tonight because this is the kickoff of the holiday task force. this is 24/7, 365 days a year problem. be responsible. think about yourself. think about others. and take a safe and sober ride home for yourself and for the sake of others and memory of those victims of drunk dri driving. >> so imp ruined and you don't want anything tragic to happen to you or your family. as you head out there be safe. the officers you see are going off on role call this evening. there's extra enforcement throughout the county and that will last until after new year's that's ongoing throughout the month. we'll continue to drive around and check back in with you all at 11:00 tonigh