Trumbull task force to join in DUI crackdown

Violators can also face tremendous personal embarrassment and humiliation.

STAFF REPORT

The Trumbull County Operating Vehicle Impaired Task Force is joining the Mahoning County OVI Task Force and other police agencies throughout the country in support of an intensive crackdown on impaired driving through Sept. 1.

More than 10,000 police agencies will participate in this year’s mid-August through Labor Day crackdown, including law enforcement officers representing every state, the District of Columbia, and many cities and towns.

Nationally, more than $50 million will be spent on this year’s crackdown, known by its tagline: Drunk Driving. Over the Limit. Under Arrest.

Across the country, more than $30 million in state and federal funds will be spent in support of the high-visibility crackdown through television and radio ads targeted to young male drivers, who are the most common perpetrators of this deadly crime.

Another $20 million will be spent on extra police enforcement — including saturation patrols and sobriety checkpoints — during the crackdown period.

In 2006 alone, nearly 13,500 people died in crashes in which the driver or motorcycle rider was legally impaired, according to the latest statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Among them were 306 children under age 15 — innocent victims of crashes that could have been avoided.

In every state, as well as the District of Columbia, it’s illegal to drive with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08 or higher.

According to the latest data, 32 percent of motor vehicle driving fatalities involved a driver or motorcycle rider with a BAC of 0.08 or above — an average of one fatality every 39 minutes.

The task forces will be aggressively looking for all impaired drivers during the crackdown and will arrest anyone they find driving while impaired — regardless of age, vehicle type, or time of day.

“Our message is simple and unwavering. If we find you driving impaired, we will arrest you. No exceptions,” said Kim Peters, Trumbull task force coordinator, “Even if you beat the odds and walk away from an impaired-driving crash alive, motorists should be aware that the consequences of driving while impaired can still virtually destroy your life.”

She said violators often face jail time, loss of their driver’s licenses, or being sentenced to use an ignition interlock. Their insurance rates go up. Other financial hits include attorney fees, court costs, lost time at work, and the potential loss of job or job prospects.

When family, friends, and co-workers find out, violators can also face tremendous personal embarrassment and humiliation.

“Driving impaired is simply not worth all the consequences. So don’t take the chance. Remember, if you are over the limit, you’re under arrest,” said Peters.