Night of 1000 Stars Patrol Returns Tonight Across Washington

If you’re out driving tonight in Washington, expect to see a whole lot more flashing lights than usual, from the annual Night of 1000 Stars.

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Night of 1000 Stars is a statewide DUI-emphasis event that brings together law enforcement agencies from across Washington, including the Washington State Patrol. The goal is to keep impaired drivers off the roads during one of the highest-risk weekends of the year.

Night of 1000 Stars Patrols Returns to Washington State

The name “Night of 1000 Stars” comes from the idea of 1,000 badges hitting the roads at the same time. For decades, this night has marked one of Washington’s biggest coordinated DUI patrols.

Agencies from local police departments to sheriff’s offices join WSP to focus on stopping drunk and drug-impaired drivers before they cause serious crashes. It’s all part of broader traffic-safety missions like Target Zero and Vision Zero.

The Washington State Patrol will be out in force tonight, often working alongside county deputies and city officers in multi-agency patrol groups. These teams concentrate on high-traffic corridors, the places where impaired-driving crashes traditionally spike during December. The patrol runs from this evening into the early morning hours, when bar traffic and holiday parties overlap.

Why Tonight Matters Every Year

This is not about writing tickets, but about prevention and trying to stop drunk driving tragedies before they happen. December has long been one of the most dangerous months for impaired driving, and nights like this help reinforce the message that getting behind the wheel impaired is never worth the risk.

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Stay safe out there tonight, and if you’re celebrating, make a plan before you go.