IDAHO NATIONAL
Idaho
Transportation |
Drunk driving patrols increase for July 4th weekend
Today through Monday (July 2-5), law enforcement officials statewide will conduct saturation patrols to crack down on offenders as part of the You Drink, You Drive, You Lose campaign. ITDs Office of Highway Safety (OHS) provides funding for overtime pay to officers who otherwise would not be on duty. Our message is simple - you drink, you drive, you lose, said Kevin Bechen of OHS. Were putting drunk drivers on notice: If youre caught drinking and driving, you will be arrested and prosecuted to the full extent of the law. Refusing a blood alcohol concentration test can result in immediate loss of a driver license. Violators also can lose time from their jobs, incur fines and increased insurance premiums, and potentially face imprisonment. You'll be spending money on bail, court costs, lawyer and towing fees instead of on your summer vacation," Bechen added. The consequences can be enormous, not only to the violator, but to their entire family. Crashes caused by drunk drivers are not accidental, they are absolutely preventable. The Idaho Office of Highway Safety reminds drivers to plan ahead and to designate a sober driver before celebrating. If youre feeling buzzed, you are most likely impaired, Bechen said. He offers the following tips to motorists:
After years of gradual improvement, fatalities in alcohol-related crashes are rising nationally. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 17,419 people were killed in alcohol-related crashes during 2002. In Idaho, 97 people were killed in alcohol-related crashes in 2002.
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