Every year, Americans hit the road headed for destinations to celebrate the Fourth of July at picnics, parties, and parades.
Unfortunately the celebrating includes drinking alcohol followed by drunken driving on streets and highways during this most heavily traveled holiday period, said Colonel Bill Bryant, Arkansas State Police director and Governor's Highway Safety representative.
Nationwide, 397 people were killed in motor vehicle crashes in 2014 over the Fourth of July holiday period that covered five days. Among those deaths, 164 people (41 percent) died from crashes involving a driver or motorcycle operator with a blood alcohol concentration of .08 grams per deciliter or higher, Bryant said.
Arkansas law enforcement officers will be out in full force during the July 4th holiday, cracking down on drunken drivers by aggressively targeting those who put lives in danger. The extra patrols have already started in Arkansas, he said.
"Don't even think about drinking and driving this Fourth of July, or you risk being arrested," said Bryant. "The Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign means zero tolerance for drunk driving-no excuses."
The crackdown on drunken driving during the coming holiday period will involve state, city and county law enforcement officers devoting additional patrol hours and continuing through July 4th. The objective is to minimize the risk of fatalities.
"If you're caught driving drunk, you will be arrested and the consequences of drunk driving are serious. Not only do you put your life and the lives of others at risk, but a DWI arrest could result in a court sentence diminishing driving freedom, attorney fees, court fines and a spike in driver insurance rates," said Bryant.
In every state, it is illegal to drive with a blood alcohol concentration of .08 grams per deciliter or higher.
The Arkansas Highway Safety Office recommends following these tips to prevent drunken driving:
Plan a safe way home before the fun begins.
Before drinking, designate a sober driver.
If you have been drinking, call a taxi or someone who is sober to get you home.
If you happen to see a drunk driver on the road, call 911.
If you know someone who is about to drive or operate a motorcycle while impaired, take their keys and help them make other arrangements to get to their destination safely.
