Americans will soon celebrate the birth and freedoms of this country during Independence Day, and BNPD wants to emphasize the need to ensure a sober way home from your festivities. The Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign will take place June 29- July 8. Citizens should expect to see increased enforcement on the roads and zero tolerance for impaired driving.
Lt. Connell of BNPD said the campaign is a way for the department to further protect the residents of Benton.
“It’s essential that our community members understand the safety and financial risks of drinking and driving, along with other types of impaired driving,” he said. Under no circumstances is it ever acceptable to get behind the wheel of a vehicle after you’ve been drinking. Doing so endangers you and everyone on the road with you.”
According to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 37,461 people were killed in motor vehicle crashes in 2016. Of those fatalities, 10,497 deaths occurred in a crash in which the driver had a blood alcohol content over the .08 limit. Additionally, because most Independence Day celebrations are at night, the rate of alcohol impairment among drivers involved in fatal crashes during the 2016 holiday was more than three times higher at night than during the day.
“With thousands of fatalities still occurring every year due to negligent behavior, we will continue to heavily patrol during the holiday season and will accept absolutely no excuses,” said Connell.
For more information on impaired driving, visit www.trafficsafetymarketing.gov.