The Tribune Staff Reports
The Seymour Police Department is joining nearly 230 law enforcement agencies from across Indiana and thousands nationwide in the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over mobilization.
Now through Labor Day, police will be working overtime to arrest impaired drivers. Motorists should expect to see increased sobriety checkpoints, roving patrols and saturation patrols, according to a news release from the department.
“Any substance that makes you feel different, like legal or illegal drugs and alcohol, can also make you drive different,” Chief Bill Abbott said. “Designate a sober driver today as officers will be on patrol for impaired drivers.”
The annual Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over enforcement campaign includes the Labor Day weekend because thousands of Hoosier families take to their cars for end-of-summer activities. It also is one of the deadliest times of year for impaired driving deaths, police say.
Law enforcement recommends these safe alternatives to impaired driving: Designate or be a sober driver, use public transportation, call a cab or ridesharing service, download the SafeRider mobile app on the Android Play Store or Apple iTunes Store, celebrate at home or a place where you can stay until sober, offer nonalcoholic beverages and plenty of food at a party, never provide alcohol to minors, ask young drivers about their plans and take the keys and make alternative arrangements for someone who has been drinking and is about to drive.
If you see an impaired driver, turn off of the roadway from the vehicle and call 911. Signs of impaired driving include weaving, swerving, drifting or straddling the centerline; driving at a very slow speed; braking erratically; making wide turns; stopping without cause; responding slowly to traffic signals; driving after dark with headlights off; closely missing an object or a vehicle; turning abruptly or illegally; and driving on the wrong side of the road.
Drivers also should watch for impaired pedestrians who may not be paying attention to their surroundings.
A driving while intoxicated arrest means going to jail and losing your driver’s license. The average DWI costs about $10,000, including car towing and repairs, attorney fees, fines, court costs, lost time at work and other hefty expenses, police say.
Overtime patrols are supported with National Highway Traffic Safety Administration funds distributed by the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute.
In every state, it’s illegal to drive with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08% or higher. In Indiana, drivers under 21 with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.02% or higher are subject to fines and a license suspension for up to one year.
DWI includes more than alcohol. There is no quick field test for the many prescription, over-the-counter and illegal drugs that can impair drivers.
To assist with traffic enforcement, the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute recently provided Indiana police agencies with 2,600 portable breath tests to evaluate alcohol impairment in drivers, 1,000 RADAR and LIDAR speed measurement devices and Android tablets for 248 highly trained police officers who document drugged drivers.