DRIVE SOBER OR GET PULLED OVER

Oskaloosa Police Department (file photo)

Oskaloosa Police Department (file photo)

July 1 – 5, 2016

The Fourth of July is best known for celebrations with family and friends, enjoying the summer weather with food and drinks. Those celebrations often include drinking alcohol which can lead to impaired driving.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 164 people were killed in motor vehicle crashes involving at least one driver with a blood alcohol concentration of .08 or higher over the three-day Fourth of July holiday in 2014. In reality, 40 percent of the total fatalities were more than likely preventable. The rate of alcohol impairment for drivers involved in fatal crashes was over three times higher at night than during the day. To date, there have been 154 fatalities on Iowa roadways this year, up 31, or 25% from this time last year.

State and local law enforcement agencies, including the Oskaloosa Police Department, will step up their efforts Friday evening, July 1st through the morning of Tuesday, July 5th to eliminate drunk drivers on the roads and reduce speeding in order to protect all of the motoring public.

What can you do in order to reach your destination safely, not only this Fourth of July, but every day?

* Do not drive; if you have been drinking, plan ahead and arrange a way to get home.

* Buckle up; it is the single most effective way to prevent serious injury if you should be involved in a crash.

* Don’t speed; speeding has been a factor in about 30 percent of crash deaths since 2005 (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety).

According to the Iowa DOT, there were no fatalities over the three-day Fourth of July holiday weekend in 2015. Together, we hope to repeat that this Fourth of July weekend! The Iowa Department of Public Safety’s (DPS) Iowa Governor’s Traffic Safety Bureau (GTSB) hopes you, your family and your friends have a safe and happy Fourth of July!

Posted by on Jun 28 2016. Filed under Local News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.

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