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The Gulfport Police Department will participate in the national “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” traffic enforcement campaign from August 17, 2018 to September 3, 2018.
During Labor Day weekend, many people choose to celebrate and enjoy themselves by having a few drinks, but even one too many increases the risk of a crash while driving a motor vehicle.
Due to the increase in drunk-driving related fatalities during the holidays, the Gulfport Police Department will be out in force apprehending all drunk drivers and spreading the message that impaired driving will not tolerated. High visibility enforcement, electronic signboards, and sobriety checkpoints will be utilized to spread the message to the motoring public. Here are some reasons why this is necessary for the Gulfport Police Department as well as other law enforcement agencies;
– In 2016, 9,477 people were killed in crashes involving an impaired driver.
– In December 2013, there were 733 people killed in crashes involving at least one driver or motorcycle operator with a blood alcohol concentrations (BAC) of .08 or higher. Twenty-three (23) of those deaths occurred on Christmas Day.
Here are some tips to keep the holidays safe and happy;
– One drink can impair your judgment and increase the risk of getting arrested for DUI or worse – increase your chances of being involved in a crash.
– If you will be drinking, do not plan on driving. Plan ahead. Designate a sober driver before the party begins.
– If you have been drinking, DO NOT DRIVE. Call a taxi, phone a sober friend or family member, or use public transportation.
Impaired driving is a choice you make and people get hurt or die as a result of that bad choice. If you fail to make a safe/ wise decision to call a sober friend for a ride, a cab, or family member versus driving while impaired, we will not fail in deciding to arrest you for impaired driving. Some people think that if they get stopped and suspected of DUI, they can just refuse a breath test to avoid the DUI charge. NOT TRUE!!! You can be arrested and will lose your driving privilege immediately. The only way to avoid a DUI charge is to DRIVE SOBER or DESIGNATE A SOBER DRIVER ahead of time.
Don’t let your Labor Day end with a DUI arrest. Plan before you go out, and remember, whether you’ve had a lot to drink or a little to drink, it’s just not worth the risk.
The message will be very clear on the topic. “DRIVE SOBER or GET PULLED OVER!!!!!”