Drive Sober campaign begins

By kalea hall

khall@vindy.com

Canfield

With the period between Aug. 16 and Sept. 2 one of the busiest times on the road, many police departments are taking part in the national campaign: “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over.”

The campaign focuses on the importance of driving sober; many areas will be increasing patrols and looking out for impaired driving.

Even before the campaign began, the Mahoning County Operating a Vehicle Impaired Task Force has been out encouraging people to not drive impaired.

“We have made 65 arrests,” said Assistant Chief Scott Weamer of the Canfield Police Department.

With the help of 13 agencies, the Task Force has had 11 checkpoints and 11 blitzes, when the number of patrols is increased, this year. Altogether 33 OVI arrests were made at the checkpoints, 20 OVI arrests were made through the blitzes and 11 OVI arrests were made through local stops.

A federal grant from the Ohio Department of Public Safety for about $153,000 goes to payroll, education materials and signs. Weamer is hoping to get the full $225,000 the Task Force is eligible for this fiscal year. Weamer compared the first fiscal year of operation to the current year and found a reduction in the number of accidents, injuries and fatalities. Accidents were reduced from 184 to 101, accidents with injuries were reduced from 71 to 42 and fatalities were reduced from six to two.

“These are positive numbers, but there is still work to be done,” Weamer said.

Weamer said adding a combination of enforcement and education is the key to keeping the roads safe.

“We talk about all of these numbers, but the real reality is most people do not drink and drive,” Weamer said.