Lake County law enforcement to target drunk drivers
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LAKE COUNTY— From Aug. 13 – Sept. 1, 2014, the Montana Highway Patrol, Lake County Sheriff Office, and Polson Police Department will be out in force as part of the annual nationwide “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” crackdown on drunk driving. The crackdown will include increased high-visibility enforcement throughout Lake County. Nationwide it will be supported by national paid advertising, creating a comprehensive campaign to curb drunk driving from mid-August through the Labor Day holiday weekend.
Local law enforcement departments and personnel will aggressively looking for drunk drivers and arrest anyone caught driving drunk. Far too many people still get behind the wheel after consuming too much alcohol. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s latest statistics underscore the serious nature of the nation’s continuing drunk driving epidemic. Research shows campaigns like ‘Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over’ reduce drunk driving fatalities by as much as 20 percent.
“Every year, about one third of all motor vehicle traffic deaths involve one or more drunk drivers or motorcycle operators,” said MHP Sergeant Randal Owens. “Nationwide in 2012, 10,322 people died in crashes involving drunk drivers working out to about one drunken driving fatality every 51 minutes.”
Holidays like Labor Day holiday are considered particularly dangerous.
Drunk driving takes a particularly heavy toll among young drivers. Among 18-34-year-old drivers killed in motor vehicle traffic crashes during the 2012 Labor Day weekend, 45 percent were alcohol-impaired.
“If you have any doubt about your sobriety, do not get behind the wheel,” Owens said. “If you do chose to drive impaired, you will be arrested. No warnings. No excuses.”
Drunk drivers face jail time, loss of their driver licenses, and steep financial consequences, potential loss of job and tremendous personal embarrassment.
