Police looking for drunk drivers

Friday, August 15, 2008

Labor Day is starting early this year as far as the police departments are concerned.

On Friday, Aug. 15, the statewide campaign Drunk Driving: Over the Limit, Under Arrest will begin. This is an effort to reduce the number of deaths and injuries on Indiana roadways during the 2008 Labor Day Holiday -- typically between Aug. 31 and Sept. 4.

"As we celebrate this Labor Day, it is important to remember that driving is a privilege and not a right. As responsible drivers, we must all assume accountability for our actions before getting behind the wheel," said Neil Moore, executive director of Indiana Criminal Justice Institute (ICJI). "I especially want to urge all Hoosiers to be proactive by designating a sober driver before celebrating. Exercising this simple precaution could ultimately save a life."

Through high-visibility patrols, sobriety checkpoints and other enforcement efforts designed to deter impaired drivers particularly during the high-risk nighttime hours, law enforcement officers will be on the look-out for those who drive or operate a motor vehicle while impaired or intoxicated.

In 2007, the Labor Day holiday period was the second most deadly time of the year on Indiana roadways, resulting in 11 alcohol-related fatalities and 18 alcohol-related collisions. Data from the 2008 Indiana Traffic Safety Alcohol Fact Sheet indicates that males drivers between the ages of 21 and 29 killed in motor vehicle collisions were legally intoxicated (over .08 blood alcohol content) 43-percent of the time.

"All too often the innocent suffer the tragic, costly and avoidable consequences of drunk driving crashes," said Kitty Greene, Indiana state executive director of Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD). "Much like this campaign, aggressive, high-visibility enforcement and intense public awareness are also key components of MADD's campaign to eliminate drunk driving."

According to ICJI, alcohol-related motor vehicle crashes kill one person every 31 minutes nationwide. In 2007, 253 individuals were fatally injured in alcohol-related collisions in Indiana. During the same year, 22-percent of all fatally injured drivers and motorcyclists were shows to have a BAC of .08 or above.

Over the Limit, Under Arrest is set to conclude Sept. 1.

Comments
View 3 comments
Note: The nature of the Internet makes it impractical for our staff to review every comment. Please note that those who post comments on this website may do so using a screen name, which may or may not reflect a website user's actual name. Readers should be careful not to assign comments to real people who may have names similar to screen names. Refrain from obscenity in your comments, and to keep discussions civil, don't say anything in a way your grandmother would be ashamed to read.
  • Probably around the same time that women were given the right to vote, etc. Let's not nit pick about things that you can't change.

    -- Posted by magoo55 on Fri, Aug 15, 2008, at 9:28 AM
  • Call it nit picking. Call it Control all you want until drunk driving claims your childs life! my son's life was taken by a drunk driver at the age of 17. I say more power to MADD and to our officers who finally bring these people in --- just think it could be your life that is saved by this. If you are traveling while drunk then you deserve to be arrested -- regulated by government or not!

    May you all have a safe holiday.

    -- Posted by 4rickyslife on Fri, Aug 15, 2008, at 3:36 PM
  • IT'S DEFINITELY A SAD SHAME HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE KILLED BY DRUNK DRIVERS EVERY YEAR. THEY SHOULD ALL BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE AND ARRESTED. IN A NUTSHELL......IF YOU WANT TO GET DRUNK, STAY AT HOME AND OFF THE ROAD!

    -- Posted by Michele1953 on Fri, Aug 15, 2008, at 6:06 PM
Respond to this story

Posting a comment requires free registration: