Bonney Lake Police Begin Holiday DUI Patrols

BONNEY LAKE, WA — Bonney Lake Police are asking drivers to stay smart this holiday season, and avoid driving while under the influence.

To make sure drivers make the safe choice, the police department says they'll be putting extra officers on the road and conducting special DUI enforcement patrols for the entire month of December 2020.

They also want to remind everyone that, under Washington state law, impaired driving can be:

• Driving while under the influence of drugs, including recreational marijuana.
• Driving while impaired by alcohol.
• Driving with a blood alcohol concentration of .08 percent or higher.

Police say anyone who breaks DUI law during the emphasis won't be getting off the hook easily, officers have been instructed to follow a no tolerance policy on DUI violations, in the hopes that it will cut down on the number of car crashes involving drunk or otherwise impaired drivers.

In a statement, the department said programs like these can save lives:

"In Pierce County and Bonney Lake we are striving to make a difference to reduce the number of tragically avoidable collisions involving impaired drivers. Our goal is to do all we can to make sure we experience zero traffic related fatality collisions this holiday season so that everybody can make it home safely."

According to the Washington Traffic Safety Commission, half of roadway fatalities in the state are due to impaired driving. They also say the holiday season is the worst for it: between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day, an average of 100 Washingtonians are arrested for DUI every single day.