Press Release August 15, 2014
Labor Day Weekend Brings DUI Crackdown to Clearcreek Township The Clearcreek Township Police Department Reminds Everyone to Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over
Labor Day weekend is coming up. For many Americans, that means an extra day off, backyard and beach barbecues, and visiting friends and family. Unfortunately, it also means a sharp increase in drunk-driving-related fatalities. So starting August 15 and continuing through September 1, local police will be aggressively targeting drunk drivers as part of a nationwide effort to end drunk driving and save lives. The Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign will pair increased public awareness with high-visibility enforcement, resulting in fewer drunk drivers on Clearcreek Township roads. In 2012, there were 10,322 people killed in drunk-driving crashes in the United States. Over Labor Day weekend (6 p.m. Friday to 5:59 a.m. Tuesday) that year, more than a third (38%) of all traffic fatalities were in drunk-driving crashes. These grim facts should speak for themselves, but they haven’t gotten everyone’s attention yet. “It’s tragic how many people lose their lives to drunk driving,” said Chief John Terrill. “If the news reported that more than 10,000 people were killed in a preventable crime spree, the American public would be outraged!” he continued. Clearcreek Township Police will be joining the national Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign and will arrest anyone caught driving drunk. No tolerance, no excuses. As part of their participation in an Ohio Traffic Safety Office grant, Clearcreek Township Police will have extra traffic patrols out during the campaign. Over the Labor Day weekend in 2012, there were 147 people killed in alcohol-impaired-driving crashes across the country. Every 51 minutes, someone is killed in a drunk-driving crash. Over the Labor Day weekend, those fatalities increase to one every 34 minutes. Young drivers are overrepresented in drunk-driving crashes, too. Among young drivers—between the ages of 18 and 34— killed in motor vehicle crashes during the 2012 Labor Day weekend, almost half (48%) had a BAC of .08 or higher, the legal limit in all states. For drivers under 21, anything above a BAC of .00 is illegal. This Labor Day weekend don’t let the festivities turn into fatalities. Law enforcement is not messing around: if you’re caught driving drunk, you will be arrested. Remember that aside from the obvious risks of killing yourself or someone else, driving impaired can also lead to serious punitive consequences. A DUI arrest can mean time in jail, loss of your license, and steep financial expenses; the average DUI costs about $10,000. For more information about the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign or Clearcreek Township’s traffic safety goals, visit www.TrafficSafetyMarketing.gov or contact Sgt. Wally Stacy at 937-748-1267.