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The Marion County Traffic Safety Partnership Issue Warning to Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over
Indianapolis Metropolitan Police, Indiana State Police, Beech Grove Police, Speedway Police, Cumberland Police, Indiana University Police and Lawrence Police are joining about 230 law-enforcement agencies across Indiana and thousands nationwide in the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over mobilization. From mid-August through Labor Day, police will be out in full force arresting impaired drivers. Expect to see increased sobriety checkpoints, roving patrols and saturation patrols.
“Why are we giving drivers a heads up? Because Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over is all about preventing impaired-driving crashes, injuries and deaths,” said Captain Fred Ilnicki. “Our officers have zero tolerance for impaired drivers on our roads, and we’ll see you before you see us.”
A driving while intoxicated (DWI) arrest means going to jail and losing your driver’s license. The average DWI cost? About $10,000, including car towing and repairs, attorney fees, fines, court costs, lost time at work and other hefty expenses.
Indiana law-enforcement agencies have participated in annual Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over traffic enforcement for more than 20 years. Overtime patrols are supported with National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) funds distributed by the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute (ICJI). For more information, visit http://on.IN.gov/drivesober.
New impaired-driving equipment
In every state, it is illegal to drive with a blood alcohol concentration of .08 or higher. In Indiana, drivers under 21 with a BAC of .02 or higher are subject to fines and a license suspension for up to 1 year.
NHTSA and ICJI recently purchased more than 2,600 portable breath tests to assist 150 Indiana law-enforcement agencies with establishing probable cause in arresting drunk drivers.
But DWI includes more than alcohol, and there is no quick field test for the many prescription, over-the-counter and illegal drugs that can impair drivers. This year, the police officers highly trained to recognize and enforce drug-impaired driving were issued Android tablets to simplify documentation for prosecution.
Tips for a safe and fun season
The annual Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over enforcement campaign includes the Labor Day weekend, with thousands upon thousands of Hoosier families taking to their cars for end-of-summer barbecues, football games, lakes and pool parties. Sadly, it is also one of the deadliest times of year for impaired-driving deaths.
