The Fourth of July is a favorite holiday for many Americans.
Families and friends gather to celebrate our country with food, parades, parties and fireworks and, for many people, the celebration includes alcohol.
The holiday, however, can quickly go from festive to fatal when people choose to drive after drinking. Over the Fourth of July holiday period in 2012 alone, 78 people were killed in alcohol impaired-driving crashes on our nation's roads.
To crack down on drunk driving this upcoming holiday, Schuylkill County law enforcement will be out in full force, aggressively targeting those who put lives in danger.
"Schuylkill County police will be ramping up their enforcement to make our roads safer this Fourth of July," David Everly, regional coordinator for the North Central Regional DUI Enforcement Program, said. "For everyone's sake, don't drink and drive or you will be arrested. The Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign means zero tolerance for drunk driving, no excuses."
Everly said data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration show that 10,322 people were killed in drunk-driving crashes in the United States in 2012 representing a third of all crash fatalities.
The data also shows that the Fourth of July holiday period is especially deadly.
During the Fourth of July period in 2012 from 6 p.m. July 3 to 5:59 a.m. July 5, there were 179 people killed in crashes, and 44 percent of those crashes were alcohol-impaired.
Everly noted that in every state, it is illegal to drive with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08-percent or higher, yet people continue to break the law and drive drunk.
According to the FBI, more than 1.28 million drivers were arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol or narcotics in 2012 and the rate of high-BAC impaired driving is astounding.
Everly said that in fatal crashes during July 4, 2012, more than one fourth, 28 percent, involved a driver or motorcycle operator with a BAC of 0.15 or higher, almost twice the legal limit.
NHTSA data also shows that 46 percent of young drivers between the ages of 18 and 34 were drunk while driving in fatal crashes over the Fourth of July period in 2012 between 6 p.m. July 3 to 5:59 a.m. July 5.
In addition, motorcycle operators are also overrepresented as the highest percentage of alcohol impaired drivers in fatal crashes. In 2012, more than one-fourth or 27 percent of the operators in fatal crashes had a BAC of 0.08 or higher.
Everly stressed that drunk drivers are more common at night, too.
Over the holiday in 2012, more than a third or 39 percent of the drivers in nighttime fatal crashes were alcohol-impaired, as compared to 16 percent of drivers in fatal crashes during the day.
"This Fourth of July holiday, you can show your patriotism by helping to make Schuylkill County roads safer for everyone," Everly said.
"Remember," he warned, "to drive sober or get pulled over. It's as simple as that."
Everly said that law enforcement is not messing around this Independence Day - if a person is caught driving drunk, he or she will be arrested.
He urged drivers to keep in mind that aside from putting their life and the lives of others at risk, driving impaired can also lead to serious consequences.
A DUI arrest can mean time in jail, loss of one's license and steep financial expenses; the average DUI costs about $10,000.
The following tips can be used to prevent drunk driving, Everly said:
- 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.
- 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.
For more information about the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign, visit www.TrafficSafetyMarketing.gov.