More Holiday Police Patrols In Hamilton County

HAMILTON COUNTY, IN — Through Jan. 1 (New Year's Day), authorities with the Hamilton County Traffic Safety Partnership are participating in and enforcing the winter "Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over" campaign. As part of the partnership with other local law enforcement agencies, Indiana police are also enforcing seat belt and speeding laws.

“Why do we enforce traffic laws? To prevent the crashes, injuries and deaths that hurt our community,”Hamilton County Sheriff Mark Bowen said, in a release sent to Patch. “Make sure you are there to open your gifts this season by buckling up – every trip, every time – and using a sober driver."

According to law enforcement officials, millions of Americans are traveling on U.S. highways during the holidays to visit family and friends, and more vehicles on the road means an increase in chances of being involved in a crash.

Remember, it's illegal to drive with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 or higher in Indiana and across all states. 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.

Impaired driving includes more than alcohol, so if you're taking a new drug or a higher dose you should talk with a doctor or don’t drive until you know what effects the medication has, officials said, adding that even over-the-counter medication can cause impairment, especially when combined with alcohol or a second drug.

According to the sheriff's office, 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.

Keep in mind before entering a vehicle:

• The Indiana Criminal Justice Institute (ICJI) and the Purdue University Center for Road Safety estimate that about 93 percent of Hoosiers buckle up. But the small amount of drivers and passengers not wearing seat belts made up more than half of Indiana’s fatal crashes.
• Parents and caregivers who don’t buckle up are more likely to have unbuckled kids as adults set the example.
• Motor vehicle crashes are a leading and increasing cause of death for children age 14 and younger.
• In Indiana, all passengers under age 8 must be in an approved car seat or booster seat, and unrestrained children under 16 are the driver’s responsibility.

For more information and assistance, visit in.gov/buckleup, on.in.gov/child-seat-tech and on.IN.gov/drivesober.

Image via Hamilton County Sheriff