Americans love to celebrate Independence Day with family, friends, food and fireworks, but too often alcohol turns the party into a tragedy, making this iconic holiday one of the most deadly days of the year on the nation's roads.
Therefore, Schuylkill County police are stepping up their presence throughout the region as part of the ongoing "Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over" enforcement crackdown geared at catching and arresting impaired drivers who put themselves and others at risk.
"Local police will be out in force throughout this Independence Day, on the lookout for motorists who have had too much alcohol to be behind the wheel of a vehicle," said David Everly, regional DUI enforcement coordinator with the North Central Regional DUI Enforcement Program. "Police will have zero tolerance for alcohol scofflaws who drink and drive this July 4, putting themselves and everyone else on Schuylkill County roads at risk of life and limb."
He said the latest statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration underscore the continuing toll drunk driving imposes on the nation.
Impaired-driving crashes killed 9,878 people in 2011, accounting for 31 percent of the total traffic fatalities in the U.S.
Everly said that figure relates to an average of one alcohol-impaired driving fatality every 53 minutes.
He added that the percentage of fatalities from impaired driving spike near the Fourth of July. According to NHTSA, 251 people were killed in motor vehicle traffic crashes during the Fourth of July holiday in 2011, which ran from 6 p.m. July 1 to 5:59 a.m. July 5.
Of those fatalities, 38 percent were in crashes that involved at least one driver or motorcycle operator with a blood-alcohol concentration of 0.08 grams per deciliter or higher.
Everly said a blood alcohol level of 0.08 percent is legally intoxicated in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the various U.S. territories.
The level of drunk-driving fatalities is not unique to 2011, Everly said.
According to additional data from NHTSA, during July 4 holidays over the last five years, from 2007 to 2011, 780 people lost their lives in crashes involving drivers who had BACs of 0.08 percent or higher, accounting for 40 percent of all highway deaths over the five-year period.
Over this same period, NHTSA statistics also showed that 511 people died in crashes involving drivers who were very drunk, having BACs of 0.15 percent or more, meaning those drivers were at least nearly twice the national legal intoxication limit.
Fourth of July celebrations often extend well into the night and statistics mark well the combined dangers of alcohol and night driving. In 2011, the proportion of alcohol impairment among drivers involved in fatal crashes was almost 4.5 times higher at night.
Everly added that young drivers still aren't getting the message about the dangers of drinking and driving.
During the July 4 holiday period in 2011, more than half, 52 percent, of young drivers 18 to 34 years old killed in alcohol-related crashes were legally drunk.
"While death and injury are of course the most serious of possible consequences of drunk driving, there are other negative considerations that can affect lives for many years, including loss of a driver licenses, vehicle impoundment, jail time, lawyer fees, court costs, insurance hikes, just to name a few," Everly said.
"Those who try to drink and drive this Fourth of July should be forewarned. We will be out in force looking for impaired drivers and we will catch and arrest you. No warnings. No excuses. If you drive impaired, you will be arrested," he said.
Schuylkill County police recommend the following simple tips for a safe Fourth of July:
Plan a safe way home before the fun begins:
- Before drinking, designate a sober driver.
- If you're impaired, use a taxi, call a sober friend or family member, or use public transportation.
- If you happen to see a drunk driver on the road, don't hesitate to call 911.
- And remember, "Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over." If you know someone who is about to drive or ride while impaired, take their keys and help them make other arrangements to get to where they are going safely.