Connecticut Department of Transportation

CONNECTICUT DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
NEWS RELEASE
2800 BERLIN TURNPIKE P.O. BOX 317546
NEWINGTON CONNECTICUT, 06131-7456
FOR RELEASE: July 1, 2013
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:
OFFICE OF COMMUNICATIONS
TELEPHONE: (860) 594-3062
FAX: (860) 594-3065
WEB SITE: www.ct.gov/dot
Connecticut Law Enforcement Warns Drivers to ‘Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over’ This Summer
Hartford, Connecticut – Americans love to celebrate the Fourth of July with family, friends, food and fireworks, but too often alcohol turns the party into a tragedy, making this iconic holiday one of the most deadly days of the year on our nation’s roads.
That’s why Connecticut is stepping up police presence throughout the state as part of the ongoing “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” enforcement crackdown to arrest impaired drivers who put themselves and others at risk. Nearly 80 Connecticut police agencies are participating in DUI checkpoints and other drunk driving enforcement during this holiday period.
“Local police will be out in force on the Fourth of July and Labor Day holidays, and will be on the lookout for motorists who have had too much alcohol to be behind the wheel of a vehicle,” said Southington Police Chief Jack Daly, President of the Connecticut Police Chiefs Association. “Police will have zero tolerance for impaired drivers who choose to put themselves and everyone else on Connecticut roads at risk.”
The latest statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration underscore the toll drunk driving continues to impose on our nation.  Impaired-driving related crashes killed 9,878 people in 2011, accounting for 31 percent of the total traffic fatalities in the United States.  That’s an average of one alcohol-impaired-driving fatality every 53 minutes, according to NHTSA.
The percentage of fatalities from impaired driving typically spike around the Fourth of July. According to NHTSA, 251 people were killed in motor vehicle traffic crashes during the Fourth of July holiday period in 2011.  Of those fatalities, 38 percent were in crashes that involved at least one driver or motorcycle operator with a blood alcohol concentration of .08 grams per deciliter (g/dL) or higher. A BAC of .08 g/dL is the legal intoxication limit in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the various U.S. territories.
The level of drunk-driving fatalities is not unique to 2011.  According to additional data from NHTSA, during July 4th holidays over the last five years (from 2007 to 2011), 780 people lost their lives in crashes involving drivers who had BACs of .08 g/dL or higher.  These fatalities accounted for 40 percent of all highway deaths over the five-year period.
Over this same period, NHTSA statistics also showed that 511 people died in crashes involving drivers having BACs of .15 percent or higher, nearly twice the national legal intoxication limit of .08 g/dL.
Fourth of July celebrations often extend well into the evening hours, and statistics show that in 2011 alone the proportion of alcohol impairment among drivers involved in fatal crashes was almost 4.5 times higher at night.

And young drivers still aren’t getting the message about the dangers of drinking and driving.  During the July 4th holiday period in 2011, more than half (52 percent) of young drivers 18 to 34 years old killed in alcohol-related crashes were legally drunk.

While death and injury are of course the most serious of possible consequences of drunk driving, there are other negative considerations that can affect lives for many years, including loss of a driver licenses, vehicle impoundment, jail time, lawyer fees, court costs and insurance hikes, just to name a few.

“Those who try to drink and drive this Fourth of July holiday or this summer should be forewarned. We will be out in force looking for impaired drivers, and we will arrest you.  No warnings. No excuses. If you drive impaired, you will be arrested,” said Connecticut State Police Lieutenant Paul Vance.

Law Enforcement recommends these simple tips for a safe Fourth of July:

  • Plan a safe way home before the fun begins.
  • Before drinking, designate a sober driver.
  • If you’re impaired, use a taxi, call a sober friend or family member, or use public transportation.
  • Use your community’s sober ride program.
  • If you happen to see a drunk driver on the road, don’t hesitate to contact the police.
  • And remember, “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over.” If you know someone who is about to drive or ride while impaired, take their keys and help them make other arrangements to get to where they are going safely. 

For more information, please visit www.nhtsa.gov/drivesober.