Over a 24-day period, The Howard County Sheriff Department issued 183 traffic citations and made 2 arrests during the national Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over mobilization.About 230 Indiana law-enforcement agencies joined thousands nationwide to increase roving patrols, saturation patrols and sobriety checkpoints. Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over is supported with National Highway Traffic Safety Administration funds distributed by the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute.
“Highly visible, data-driven traffic enforcement such as this has been proven to deter impaired driving,” said Sgt. Justin Markley. “Our commitment to enforcing the law and saving lives continues throughout the year.”
In every state, it is illegal to drive with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 or higher. In Indiana, drivers under 21 with a BAC of .02 or higher are subject to fines and a license suspension for up to 1 year. Since 2017, more than 2,600 portable breath tests have been purchased for state and local law-enforcement agencies across Indiana.
Getting arrested for operating a vehicle while intoxicated (OWI) means going to jail and losing your driver’s license. The average cost? About $10,000, including car towing and repairs, attorney fees, fines, court costs, lost time at work and other hefty expenses. For more information, visit http://on.IN.gov/drivesober.
Drive High – Get an OWI
Impaired driving includes more than alcohol, and there is no quick field test for the many prescription, over-the-counter and illegal drugs that can impair drivers. This year, the police officers highly trained to recognize and enforce drug-impaired driving were issued Android tablets to simplify documentation for
prosecution.
Taking a new drug or a higher dose? Talk with a doctor or don’t drive until you know what effects it has. Even over-the-counter medication can cause impairment, especially when combined with alcohol or a second drug.
Ride Sober or Get Pulled Over
Motorcycle riders have the reputation for being tough, but no one is tough enough to withstand the effects of impaired riding. Motorcycles are about 3 percent of registered vehicles, but are dramatically overrepresented in fatal crashes involving alcohol. And the more that bikers drink, the less likely they are to wear helmets.
Impaired driving alternatives
With all of today’s options for getting home safely, there’s no excuse for getting behind the wheel impaired as it endangers you and everyone else around you.
Law enforcement recommends these safe alternatives to impaired driving:
•Designate, or be, a sober driver.
•Use public transportation.
•Call a cab or a ridesharing service.
•Download the SaferRide mobile app on the Android Play Store or the Apple iTunes Store. This app only has three options: call a taxi, call a friend, and identify your location for pickup.
•Celebrate at home or a place where you can stay until sober.
•Throwing a party? Offer non-alcoholic beverages and plenty of food.
•Never provide alcohol to minors.
•Ask young drivers about their plans.
•Friend or family member about to drive? Take the keys and make alternate arrangements.
Report impaired drivers
Impaired driving is three times more common at night than during the day. If you see an impaired driver, turn off the road away from the vehicle and call 911.
Signs of impaired driving include:
Weaving, swerving, drifting, or straddling the center line
Driving at a very slow speed
Braking erratically
Making wide turns
Stopping without cause
Responding slowly to traffic signals
Driving after dark with headlights off
Almost striking an object or vehicle
Driving on the wrong side of the road
Turning abruptly or illegally