Law Enforcement On The Lookout For Impaired Drivers

(KNSI) – The Department of Public Safety Office of Traffic Safety says there will be stepped-up patrols through the holidays looking for drunk drivers.

In a press release, the agency says it’s not just alcohol. Sleep aids and THC edibles are other common causes of impairment, especially after legalization earlier this year. Drugged driving has increased by 227 percent in the past decade.

Alcohol remains the worst culprit for impaired driving. It has contributed to 620 traffic deaths over the past five years. The night before Thanksgiving is typically one of the busiest of the year for bars. The period starting then and lasting until New Year’s Eve has averaged over 2,000 DWIs per year recently.

If you are convicted of a DWI you could lose your license for a year, have to pay thousands of dollars in fines, and may be sentenced to prison.

The office says the best defense against an impaired driver is to make sure you are using a seat belt. You may not be able to avoid their erratic and unpredictable behavior on the road, but there are ways to keep yourself as safe as possible. It also recommends using a designated driver or a ride-share service if you are planning on partying.

___