(La Porte County, IN) - While Independence Day will be in the middle of the week this year, police will be on the lookout for impaired drivers throughout the weekend leading up to the holiday.

 

The La Porte County Sheriff’s Office is taking part in the national Drive Sober or Get ­­Pulled Over enforcement mobilization program to educate motorists about the dangers and consequences of impaired driving.   

 

From June 30th until July 8th, additional deputies will be on patrol with the primary goal of preventing tragedies previously seen around the July 4th holiday.

 

The high-visibility enforcement effort is funded by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and administered through the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute (ICJI).

 

“The La Porte County Sheriff’s Office has zero tolerance for motorists who choose to operate while intoxicated,” said Captain Derek J. Allen. “Everyone knows the law,  It is illegal to drink and drive.  OWI is selfish and arrogant, and it endangers the drivers, their passengers, and other people on the road,” he said.

 

About 37 people die in the U.S. in OWI crashes every day. That’s approximately one person every 39 minutes and more than 13,000 annually, according to NHTSA. Of the 949 traffic fatalities that occurred last year in Indiana, 110  or 12 percent, were alcohol-related. 

 

"Impaired driving is a serious problem that claims the lives of thousands of people each year in our state and nation.  While increased enforcement efforts can help to reduce impaired driving, we cannot simply arrest our way out of this problem,” said Devon McDonald, Executive Director of the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute. 

 

“We need to work together to raise awareness of the dangers of impaired driving and encourage people to make smart choices when they drink.  If you are going to drink, please designate a sober driver or call a taxi.  It is not worth risking your life or the lives of others," he said.

 

Impaired driving includes more than just alcohol, as authorities noted how drugs and even some over-the-counter medications can also cause impairment and slow coordination, judgment, and reaction times on the road.