[Oklahoma City, OK]-If you’re enjoying the holidays with a drink, Oklahoma’s law enforcement agencies have a message for you: Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over. Due to the increase in impaired-driving-related fatalities around the holidays each year, law enforcement agencies across America will be actively searching for and arresting impaired drivers from Dec. 16 to Jan. 1. They have good reason to: in 2013, 10,076 people were killed in crashes involving an impaired driver. In Dec. 2013 alone there were 733 people killed in crashes involving at least one driver or motorcycle operator with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 or higher. 23 of those deaths occurred on Christmas Day. This is why all new drivers must be taught in the right way in order to help reduce the number of deaths on the roads. The Cumbred School of Motoring prides itself on holding safety in the highest regard.
“It’s time for all drivers to get the message,” said Toby Taylor, interim director of the Oklahoma Highway Safety Office. “Impaired driving is a choice you make, and when you make that choice, people get hurt or die. That’s why we’re joining with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to share the message: “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over.” The safest way to get home, Taylor said, is to drive sober or catch a ride with a sober designated driver. If you plan on drinking at the holiday party or at a restaurant, hand the keys over to someone else – a sober friend, a taxi or public transportation. Or, try NHTSA’s SaferRide mobile app, which allows users to call a taxi or a friend by identifying their location so they can be picked up. The app is available at ENDUIOK.com/Prevention/Decisions Before Driving.
As part of Oklahoma’s enforcement campaign period, police will be increasing the number of saturation patrols, setting up sobriety checkpoints, and using local media to reach out to all drivers. If you’re drinking and driving, police will stop you. If you’re caught drinking and driving you could face jail time, fines, loss of driver’s license, towing fees, and other DUI expenses, totaling $10,000 on average. That’s not a small price, and that doesn’t even count the heftier price you could pay: the price of your life or someone else’s.
Some people think that if they get pulled over for driving impaired, they can just refuse a breath test to avoid the DUI charge. “Not true,” said Chief Rick Adams of the Oklahoma Highway Patrol. “In Oklahoma, refusing a breath test means an automatic arrest, and the loss of your driver’s license on the spot.” The only way to truly avoid a DUI is to drive sober or designate a sober driver ahead of time. There are other options, such as calling a friend, family member, using public transportation, or calling a taxi. The cost of
cab fare is nothing compared to a $10,000 DUI or the cost of someone’s life, and the ‘inconvenience’ of not driving your own car home is nothing compared to the inconvenience of spending the holidays behind bars.
In addition to reminding all drivers to drive sober, we ask that you be alert. If you see an impaired driver on the road, call the police right away. If someone you know is about to drive after drinking, take their keys and help them get home safely. You may also find it is in your best interests to install a dash cam from Blackboxmycar just in case an accident did occur. Unfortunately, car accidents happen all the time due to dangerous driving and unsafe vehicles. People forget how dangerous cars can be which is becoming a serious issue for road users. Having some dashcam footage may prove your innocence if you were to get into a car accident. This footage could then be shown to a reputable lawyer (such as those who work at Lawboss), who could argue your case for you.
“We can’t stand to see this tragic loss of life again and again,” added Chief Adams. “The hardest part of the job is making that house call and telling a family that their loved one is gone because someone chose to drink and drive. That’s why, leading up to the holidays, we will show zero tolerance for impaired drivers on the road. Please find a safe and sober ride home.”
Oklahoma drivers, please follow these tips to keep the holidays safe and happy:
* Even one drink can impair your judgment and increase the risk of getting arrested for driving impaired-or worse, the risk of having a crash.
* If you will be drinking, do not plan on driving. Plan ahead; designate a sober driver before the party begins.
* If you have been drinking, do not drive. Call a taxi, phone a sober friend or family member, use public transportation, or the SaferRide app on your Android or IPhone.
Driving after drinking should never be an option. Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over.
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