Law enforcement officials target impaired drivers

By Pamela Glason Thornton
Staff Writer
Union County Post

Drinking and driving do not mix. This holiday season is far from over and holds a message for anyone who gets behind the wheel after drinking. If “You Drink and Drive. You Lose.” The current theme for an anti-drunk driving campaign is a warning to the general public. People are advised to play it safe when drinking.
Aimed to reduce the number of highway deaths, law officials and on-the-ground advocates offer individuals and groups important tips to be followed when planning and attending New Year’s celebrations that include drinking:
• If you’re impaired, call a taxi, use mass transit, or call a sober friend or family member to get you home safely.
• Report impaired drivers to law enforcement.
• Always buckle up – it’s your best defense against an impaired driver.
• Spend the night where the activity is being held and sleep it off.
“ Our message is simple: You drink and drive and you lose. We know there are going to be holiday celebrations and office parties this time of year where alcohol will be consumed, so your best bet is to always designate a sober driver before the parties begin,” said Safe Communities/Safe Kids coordinator, Elizabeth Fries.
To celebrate the New Year, people consume alcohol. Unfortunately, the drinking often ends with individuals getting behind the wheel of a car and attempting to drive.
The holiday season means extra cautionary actions for officers of the Ohio Department of Public Safety and Ohio State Highway Patrol, who enforce drunk driving laws.
Local law enforcement will join together to enforce the OVI laws in the Union County area through the New Year weekend and to guard against the hazardous holiday celebrations that may be extended to the highways.
“ We need to keep reminding drivers that impaired driving kills,” said Fries.
In Ohio in 2004, over the four-day Thanksgiving holiday weekend, there were 3,763 total crashes, resulting in 1,238 injuries and 12 fatalities. Eight were alcohol-related deaths. Over the three-day Christmas holiday period, there were 3,483 crashes with 1,015 injuries and 14 deaths. Five were alcohol-related.
“ If people make responsible choices, these deaths are preventable,” said Fries.
The Safe Communities program was developed to establish and/or expand community partnerships to create safer, healthier communities throughout Ohio. For more information about the Safe Communities/Safe Kids program, an ongoing educational and awareness initiative, please contact the Union County Health Department at 937-642-2053.