Price police department launches local crackdown on drunk driving

By Sun Advocate

Drunk driving is one of America’s deadliest crimes.
In fact, statistics show nearly 13,000 people were killed in highway crashes involving an impaired driver or motorcycle operator with an illegal blood alcohol concentration of .08 or higher.
Forty-one percent of the 1,672 motorcycle operators who died in single-vehicle crashes had blood alcohol levels of .08 or higher.
In an effort to protect Carbon County motorists, the Price City Police Department will join housands of law enforcement and highway safety agencies across the nation during the remainder of August and the Labor Day holiday to launch an aggressive crackdown on impaired drivers. The nationwide crackdown is called “Drunk Driving. Over the Limit. Under Arrest.”
“Make no mistake. Our message is simple. No matter what you drive- a passenger car, pick up, sport utility vehicle or motorcycle- if we catch you driving impaired, we will arrest you. No exceptions. No excuses,” said Officer Brian Judd.
“We will be out in force conducting sobriety checkpoints, saturation patrols, and using undercover officers to get more drunk drivers off the road. We want everyone to play it safe and always designate a sober driver or find a different way home if they have been out drinking,” Judd continued.
Driving with a blood alcohol level of .08 or higher is illegal in every state.
Drunk driving fatalities have slightly declined at locations across the nation. But alcohol fatalities are projected to increase in the next year.
According to the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation’s uniform crime report, more than 1.4 million people were arrested for diving under the influence during 2004.
“Drunk driving is simply not worth the risk. Not only do you risk killing yourself or someone else, but the trauma and financial costs of a crash or an arrest for impaired driving can be significant,” pointed out Judd. “Violators often face jail time, the loss of their driver’s license, higher insurance rates, attorney fees, time away from work and dozens of other expenses.”
“So don’t take the chance. Remember, if you are over the limit, you are under arrest,” stressed the police officer.
The national impaired driving crackdown is a comprehensive prevention program organized by the U.S. Department of Transportation National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that focuses on combining high-visibility enforcement with heightened public awareness through advertising and publicity.