During the Labor Day holiday, Union County officials are working to keep drunk drivers off the roads.
The Union County Safe and Sound Coalition, which includes a variety of local agencies, works to prevent pedestrian and traffic injuries and deaths within the county. The group has teamed up with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) this holiday weekend.
As part of a national enforcement campaign, Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over, local law enforcement will show zero tolerance for drunk driving.
“Drunk and drugged driving continues to result in the loss of life. The Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign is one more tool our coalition is using to help prevent these tragedies,” Chelcie Beadnell, health educator for the Union County Health Department (UCHD) and Safe and Sound Coalition chair, said.
Beadnell said statistics show that there is work left to be done in order to put an end to drunk driving.
According to NHTSA, one person was killed every 48 minutes by a drunk driver in 2017. On average, 10,000 people were killed each year from 2013 to 2017.
During the 2017 Labor Day holiday period, there were 376 crash fatalities nationwide. More than one-third of them involved drivers who were legally impaired, while more than a quarter involved drivers who were driving with a blood alcohol content (BAC) almost twice the legal limit.
Officials from UCHD said age is another risk factor. Among drivers between the ages of 18 and 34 who were killed in crashes over the Labor Day holiday in 2017, 42% of those drivers were legally impaired.
Aside from drunk driving, officials said drug-impaired driving is an increasing problem. If drivers are impaired by any substance, they should not get behind the wheel of a vehicle.
“Labor Day should be a time for friends and family to come together to enjoy the last days of summer,” Ohio State Highway Patrol Post Commander, Lt. Molly Harris said. “We need commitment from our community members that they’ll keep the roadways free of drunk drivers so that everyone can have a safe holiday,” she said.
The Union County Safe and Sound Coalition and NHTSA said there are many resources available to help citizens get home safely.
“Drunk driving is not acceptable behavior,” Union County Sheriff Jamie Patton said. “Before you ever leave for the party, it is essential to plan for a sober ride home. That’s why, during the Labor Day holiday, we will make zero exceptions for drunk driving. There are just no excuses,” he said.
The Union County Safe and Sound Coalition recommends these safe alternatives to drinking and driving:
– Even if you have only had one alcoholic beverage, designate a sober driver, plan to use public transportation or call a ride sharing service to get home safely.
– Download NHTSA’s SaferRide mobile app, which allows users to call a taxi or predetermined friend and identifies the user’s location so he or she can be picked up.
– If you see a drunk driver on the road, contact 1-800-GRAB-DUI
– If you notice an intoxicated friend who might drive, take their keys and make arrangements to get them home otherwise.
“Designating a sober driver this holiday weekend can be the difference between life or death. As police officers who have seen the result of a drunk driving crash first hand, we know this all too well,” City of Marysville Police Chief Floyd Golden said.