Published: May 16, 2008 07:21 pm         

State police to conduct DUI checkpoint

FROM STAFF REPORTS



ROCHESTER — The Peru post of the Indiana State Police this evening will conduct an enforcement checkpoint targeting impaired drivers in Fulton County.

After the checkpoint, troopers will carry out roving saturation patrols aggressively seeking impaired drivers throughout the district, which covers Cass, Fulton, Miami, Howard, Tipton and Wabash counties.

In Indiana, between March 1 and May 31, 2006, there were 214 fatal crashes. Fifty-one of those crashes involved drivers with a blood alcohol content above the legal limit of .08 percent.

In 2006, there were a total of 31,252 crashes on Indiana roads, and 1,464 of them were alcohol related.

Impaired driving remains one of America’s deadliest problems. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in 2006, 42,642 people were killed nationally in motor vehicle crashes. That same year, 13,470 people were killed in crashes that involved a driver or motorcyclist with a blood-alcohol level of .08 percent or higher.

State police offer these tips to eliminate drunken driving:

• Plan ahead and always designate a sober driver before consuming alcohol.

• Don’t drive your vehicle if you’ve been drinking alcohol. Call a taxi or sober friend. A cab ride is cheaper than a drunken driving conviction.

• Take care of your friends. Never let a friend drive while impaired. Take their keys.

• If you are hosting a party, always offer non-alcoholic beverages. Make sure all of your guests leave with a sober driver.

• Never provide alcohol to anyone under the legal drinking age of 21.



Report impaired drivers

• Motorists are encouraged to report suspected impaired drivers by calling 9-1-1. Give a vehicle description and direction of travel. Never follow an impaired driver.