Sobriety Checkpoints set for St. Patrick’s Weekend:

The St. Patrick’s Day weekend has historically been accompanied by increased traffic, and unfortunately, increases in serious traffic crashes. Many of which have been alcohol related. It is the plan of local authorities to insure the safety of the citizens of Brownsville and Haywood County. Officers of the Brownsville Police Department and the Haywood County Sheriff’s Department will be teaming up. Joint enforcement activities will begin on Friday, March 13, at 8 p.m., and end Sunday, March 15, at 2 a.m. Activities will include sobriety checkpoints, and DUI saturations. Officers will concentrate their enforcement efforts on removing impaired drivers from the roadways. However as non-compliance with the safety belt and child restraint laws place people in danger, these laws will be vigorously enforced as well. This program is funded by a traffic enforcement grant from the Governors’ Highway Safety Office.

Brownsville PD Urges Motorists to Drive Responsibly this St. Patrick’s Day

Designate a Sober Driver Before the Party Begins

The Brownsville Police Department is urging the public to help keep the streets safe this St. Patrick’s Day by drinking responsibly and designating a sober driver before heading to the local parade or pub. Statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration show that over the past five years, 851 people lost their lives in motor vehicles crashes during the St. Patrick’s Day holiday. Out of that number, 327 were killed in crashes that involved a drunk driver or motorcycle rider (operator) with a blood alcohol concentration of .08 or higher.

“St. Patrick’s Day is supposed to be a time to celebrate Irish heritage and gather with friends, but it can quickly end in tragedy due to impaired driving,” said Lt. Diebold “If you plan on drinking, don’t rely on luck to keep you safe or to keep you out of trouble. Be responsible and take appropriate precautions.”

The Police Department recommends the following tips:

· Plan a safe way home before your celebrations begin;

· If you plan to get a ride home with someone else, designate a sober driver before any drinking begins;

· If you’re impaired, call a sober friend or family member, 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;

· And remember, if you know someone who is about to drive or ride their motorcycle while impaired, take their keys and help them make other arrangements to get to where they are going safely.

“Driving impaired or riding with someone who is impaired is an extremely risky thing to do,” said Lt. Diebold. “If you plan on using alcohol, plan ahead and look out for your friends too. Remember, friends don’t let friends drive drunk.”

According to NHTSA research, impaired driving remains one of America’s deadliest problems. In 2007, 41,059 people nationwide were killed in motor vehicle crashes. Out of that number 12,998 people were killed in traffic crashes that involved at least one driver or motorcycle rider (operator) with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 or higher. To learn more, please visit www.StopImpairedDriving.org.