News
Police crack down
on impaired driving
By BILL RICHMOND
City editor
Midwest law enforcement agencies will conduct a DUI crackdown between communities and states over Labor Day weekend.
State, county and local law enforcement throughout the Midwest will conduct a first-of-its-kind multi-state, multi-jurisdictional impaired driving crackdown this holiday weekend featuring a new kind of enforcement activity called Enforcement Corridors. Enforcement Corridors describe impaired driving enforcement activity on or around roadways that connect communities and/or states.
This crackdown comes on the heels of new data that shows alcohol-related fatalities in traffic crashes remain a severe problem nationwide. Nearly 3,000 Midwest
law enforcement agencies will participate in the Labor Day crackdown.
"Last year alone, there were 16,855 alcohol-related fatalities in traffic crashes in the United States, a figure that is nearly unchanged in the last decade,” said National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Great Lakes Regional Administrator Don McNamara. "Our message is simple: if you drive drunk, you will be arrested. There will be no warnings, violators can expect to be taken directly to jail.
"As a consequence, they can lose their licenses, time from their jobs, and money in high fines and court costs as well as face possible imprisonment. Refusing a blood alcohol concentration test means violators can lose their license on the spot and have their vehicle impounded.”
McNamara said impairment starts with the first drink, whether the individual feels it or not.
"If you're feeling 'buzzed,' you are most likely impaired," he said. "And if you drive impaired, law enforcement will arrest you.” McNamara said law enforcement agencies will be out in strength during Labor Day weekend as part of a crackdown on impaired drivers.
“Beginning September first and running through September fourth, law enforcement will be out in full force conducting Enforcement Corridors throughout the Midwest," he said.
Enforcement Corridors include saturation patrols and sobriety checkpoints to identify and arrest impaired drivers.
“As the statistics prove, too many people fail to understand that alcohol, drugs
and driving don’t mix," said Indiana State Police Major Thomas Mellville. "We want all motorists traveling within our respective states to arrive at their destinations safely. We also want would-be impaired drivers to be warned: state, county and local police throughout the Midwest will not tolerate impaired driving.”
Mellville said getting arrested for impaired driving is not the worst thing that can happen to an impaired driver. Such dangerous behavior can result in their own death or injury or the senseless death or injury of innocent motorists.
State, county and local police from Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio
and Wisconsin will participate in the Labor Day holiday crackdown. Individuals who believe they may have an alcohol use problem are encouraged to go to their local hospital’s emergency department or call SAMHSA’s Center for Substance Abuse Treatment hotline for help at 1-800-662-HELP or logon at http://endneedlessdeath.org to find a treatment center near you.
By BILL RICHMOND
City editor
Midwest law enforcement agencies will conduct a DUI crackdown between communities and states over Labor Day weekend.
State, county and local law enforcement throughout the Midwest will conduct a first-of-its-kind multi-state, multi-jurisdictional impaired driving crackdown this holiday weekend featuring a new kind of enforcement activity called Enforcement Corridors. Enforcement Corridors describe impaired driving enforcement activity on or around roadways that connect communities and/or states.
This crackdown comes on the heels of new data that shows alcohol-related fatalities in traffic crashes remain a severe problem nationwide. Nearly 3,000 Midwest
law enforcement agencies will participate in the Labor Day crackdown.
"Last year alone, there were 16,855 alcohol-related fatalities in traffic crashes in the United States, a figure that is nearly unchanged in the last decade,” said National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Great Lakes Regional Administrator Don McNamara. "Our message is simple: if you drive drunk, you will be arrested. There will be no warnings, violators can expect to be taken directly to jail.
"As a consequence, they can lose their licenses, time from their jobs, and money in high fines and court costs as well as face possible imprisonment. Refusing a blood alcohol concentration test means violators can lose their license on the spot and have their vehicle impounded.”
McNamara said impairment starts with the first drink, whether the individual feels it or not.
"If you're feeling 'buzzed,' you are most likely impaired," he said. "And if you drive impaired, law enforcement will arrest you.” McNamara said law enforcement agencies will be out in strength during Labor Day weekend as part of a crackdown on impaired drivers.
“Beginning September first and running through September fourth, law enforcement will be out in full force conducting Enforcement Corridors throughout the Midwest," he said.
Enforcement Corridors include saturation patrols and sobriety checkpoints to identify and arrest impaired drivers.
“As the statistics prove, too many people fail to understand that alcohol, drugs
and driving don’t mix," said Indiana State Police Major Thomas Mellville. "We want all motorists traveling within our respective states to arrive at their destinations safely. We also want would-be impaired drivers to be warned: state, county and local police throughout the Midwest will not tolerate impaired driving.”
Mellville said getting arrested for impaired driving is not the worst thing that can happen to an impaired driver. Such dangerous behavior can result in their own death or injury or the senseless death or injury of innocent motorists.
State, county and local police from Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio
and Wisconsin will participate in the Labor Day holiday crackdown. Individuals who believe they may have an alcohol use problem are encouraged to go to their local hospital’s emergency department or call SAMHSA’s Center for Substance Abuse Treatment hotline for help at 1-800-662-HELP or logon at http://endneedlessdeath.org to find a treatment center near you.
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