The Sault Ste. Marie State Police want residents to spend their money on gifts and goodwill this holiday season — not bail and bad driver fees, according to a recent news release.
From Dec. 18, 2003, to Jan. 4, 2004, law enforcement officials from the Michigan State Police are joining with nearly 500 Michigan law enforcement agencies during the national drunk driving crackdown, “You Drink & Drive. You Lose.”
The Michigan State Police don't want this holiday season to turn into a tragedy.
“It's okay to celebrate,” the release said. “Just don't drive drunk. Our troopers will be on the lookout for those motorists who have indulged in too much holiday cheer.”
Michigan's drunk driving standard is now lower — .08 blood alcohol content — and the police are taking a “no second chances” approach.
“If you get caught behind the wheel driving drunk, then you will be spending the night in jail,” the release said. “There will be no warnings and no second chances.”
The new campaign also hits offenders where it hurts — their pocketbook. In addition to regular court costs and fines, convicted drunk drivers will also be subject to a new additional $1,000 penalty that will be imposed for two consecutive years as part of the recently approved driver responsibility program.
In Michigan, nearly 36 percent of traffic fatalities involve alcohol or drugs. Although alcohol- and drug-related fatalities have decreased, they still played a factor in 463 traffic deaths in 2002.
The Michigan State Police released the following “sobering facts” about alcohol and drug related motor vehicle violations:
• In 2002, law enforcement agencies in the state arrested 57,789 motorists for drunk driving, according to the Michigan State Police Drunk Driving Audit. That is nearly as many people that live in the cities of Royal Oak or Battle Creek.
• Vehicle collisions involving alcohol or drugs tend to be more serious than other crashes, according to the Michigan State Police Criminal Justice Information Center. The percentage of fatalities is eight times higher than in all accidents and the number of accidents at the most serious injury level are almost four times higher.
• The severity of injuries is usually much worse for drivers and passengers who have been drinking.
• An accident fatality is nine times more likely when one of the drivers involved had been drinking.
• Impaired driving is one of the most often committed crimes, randomly killing someone in America every 30 minutes and nearly 50 people a day, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
