La Porte Police Department Announces its Participation in Operation Pull
Over Blitz #54
The La Porte City Police Department, along with other police
agencies in La Porte
County and throughout
Indian, will be participating in Operation Pull Over Blitz #54 from March 7,
2008 through March 23, 2008. The enforcement focus points of this blitz are
passenger restraint violations and impaired driving enforcement. The La Porte
City Police Department has scheduled 174 hours of overtime during this blitz
period in addition to our traffic enforcements efforts being run under DUI:
Taskforce Indiana and Fatality Crash Reduction Effort grants. Special attention
will be given to DUI enforcement on both St.
Patrick’s Day and Dyngus Day. Also, there is some interesting traffic safety
statistics for our region of Indiana
listed in the paragraphs below. Remember:
traffic safety is not just the responsibility of the police; it is the
responsibility of everyone.
(North Central, IN.)— Last year on St. Patrick’s Day, 44 percent of the 105 drivers and motorcyclists involved in
fatal crashes nationwide, had a blood alcohol concentration of (BAC) of 0.08 or
greater, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Association (NHTSA).
For many Hoosiers,
St. Patrick’s Day has become a popular day to celebrate with friends and
family. However given that many people
will celebrate this occasion with alcohol, the day can also be very dangerous.
In order to deter impaired driving on Indiana’s roadways this St. Patrick’s Day,
the Governor’s Council on Impaired & Dangerous Driving is joining with over
two hundred state and local law enforcement agencies to launch a statewide,
high-visibility enforcement blitz from March 7-23. While this 16 day blitz will cover St.
Patrick’s Day, it will also take place during the Big Ten Basketball Tournament
in Indianapolis.
“Impaired drivers are a grave threat to the safety of Indiana’s roadways. Motorists should be aware that state and
local officers will be conducting increased enforcement and will deploy special
patrols to detect and arrest impaired drivers,” said Cutis Hill, chairman of
the Governor’s Council on Impaired & Dangerous Driving.
In 2006, 23.8 percent of fatal crashes that occurred in
Indiana
from March 1 – May 31 involved drivers with a BAC above the legal limit of
0.08 or greater. This means that out of
214 fatalities that occurred, 51 of those fatalities involved a driver who had
a BAC of 0.08 or greater.
Also in 2006 from March 1 – May 31, 3.0 percent of all
collisions in the North Central region of the state involved drivers
with a BAC of 0.01 or greater, while 17 percent of the fatalities in the region
involved drivers with a BAC of 0.01 or greater.
Impaired driving remains one of America’s deadliest problems. According to NHTSA, in 2006, 42,642 people
were killed nationally in motor vehicle crashes. Of that number 13,470 people were killed in
traffic crashes that involved at least one driver or motorcyclist with a BAC of .08 or higher.
“Remember, impairment starts with the first drink. With so many events taking place around Indiana during the month
of March, it is important to plan ahead before indulging. Because if you are suspected of drunk
driving, a fun night out could turn into a nightmare,” Hill added.
Safe Holiday
Practices
Following these easy steps, a
driver can enjoy a safe St. Patrick’s Day without jeopardizing their life and
the lives of the others who may be on the road.
- Plan a safe way home before the
festivities begin;
- Before drinking,
please designate a sober driver and give that person your keys;
- If you’re impaired, use a taxi, call a sober
friend or family member, or use public transportation so you are sure to
get home safely;
- If you happen to see a drunk driver on the road,
don’t hesitate to contact your local law enforcement or call 911;
- And remember, if you know someone who is about
to drive or ride while impaired, take their keys and help them make other
arrangements to get to where they are going safely.
The
Governor's Council on Impaired & Dangerous Driving serves is the public
opinion catalyst and the implementing body for statewide action to reduce death
and injury on Indiana
roadways. The Council provides grant funding, training, coordination and
ongoing support to state and local traffic safety advocates. For more information, please visit www.in.gov/cji/traffic
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