The Arkansas State Police (ASP) warns that law enforcement officials are cracking down on drunk driving over the holidays as part of a national campaign known as "Drunk Driving. Over the Limit. Under Arrest."
State Troopers, sheriff’s deputies, and city police officers across Arkansas will devote additional personnel hours to saturation patrols and sobriety checkpoints. The crackdown began Monday and will continue through Jan. 3.
"The focus of this escalated effort is saving lives," said Col. Winford E. Phillips, Director of the Arkansas State Police. "I urge all Arkansans and anyone who plans to drive through the state to drive sober and buckle up, not only through the holidays, but whenever they may be in the driver’s seat."
Carroll County News reports that during a five-year period from 2004 through 2008, traffic accidents killed 41 people and injured 4,062 during the combined Christmas and New Year’s holiday periods, according to statistical data from the Arkansas Highway Safety Office. The records indicate that 44 percent of the fatalities involved alcohol as a contributing factor.
Although traffic fatalities declined by 7.6 percent in Arkansas last year, more than 170 people lost their lives in alcohol-related crashes involving a driver or motorcycle operator with a blood alcohol concentration of .08 or higher.
"The more drunk drivers we can take off the road, the more lives we save," Col. Phillips said.
An impaired driver convicted of the crime runs the risk of losing their driver license, an extended jail sentence, and costs of attorney fees and court fines.
Local law enforcement officers and state troopers have committed to work longer hours and target their patrols searching for impaired drivers.]
"These officers will not be looking for excuses," Colonel Phillips said. "If you are caught drinking and driving or impaired by drugs, you will be arrested and taken to jail."
The national crackdown is a deterrence program organized by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
For more information, visit www.Stopimpaireddriving.org.
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