Author Jacque Ryan, WKVI
About 230 Hoosier law-enforcement agencies and thousands nation-wide will soon join together for the annual “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” mobilization.
Each year, from mid-August through Labor Day weekend, police officers work overtime in order to crack down on impaired driving. Motorists can expect to see increased roving patrols, sobriety checkpoints, and saturation patrols.
Local agencies involved in the initiative include the Bremen, La Porte and Culver Police Departments as well as the La Porte County Sheriff’s Office and the Indiana State Police Lowell and Bremen Posts.
The overtime is supported with National Highway Traffic Administration funds distributed by the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute.
Not only can a Driving While Intoxicated arrest result in going to jail and losing your license, but it can also be quite costly.
After adding up expenses for towing and vehicle repairs, attorney fees, court costs, lost time at work and other associated fines, the average DWI can cost around $10,000.
In addition to that risk, driving while intoxicated puts your life and the lives of others in your vehicle or sharing the roadway in danger.
Authorities recommend enlisting the help of a designated driver anytime you ingest a substance that makes you feel different because it will make you drive differently.
Police note that this includes illegal substances as well as legal ones such as alcohol and prescription or over the counter medications.
Warning signs of a potentially impaired driver include weaving, swerving, drifting or straddling the center line, braking erratically, making wide turns, stopping without cause, driving at a very slow speed or responding slowly to traffic signals.
Additionally, seeing somebody driving on the wrong side of the road, turning abruptly or illegally, closely missing a vehicle or object or driving after dark without headlights on could also point to possible impairment.
Drivers are encouraged to get off the roadway and call 911 if they ever spot a driver who appears to be impaired. Do your best to give a detailed vehicle and location description to authorities so they have an easier time locating the hazardous motorist.
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