BPD to be out in force this St. Patrick's Day

Brownsville Police Department Sobriety CheckpointsSet for St. Patrick’s Day, March 17, 2012

The Brownsville Police Department will be increasing enforcement efforts to ensure the safety of the citizens of Brownsville and Haywood County.  Sobriety checkpointsand saturation patrols will be conducted, Saturday, March 17, 2012,at three locations within the Brownsvillecity limits:  Highway 76/Anderson Avenue,Bypass and Hatchie St., and Bypass at Highway 19. The checkpoints and saturation patrols will be conducted between 7:00pm – 2:00am.   Officers will concentrate their enforcement efforts on removing impaired drivers from the roadways.  Officers will also be enforcing non-compliance with the safety belt law, as well as, child restraint laws. This event is funded by a grant from the Governor’s Highway Safety Office.

‘Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving’ Are Watchwords for the Day

If you plan to get behind the wheel after too much celebrating this St. Patrick’s Day,* Brownsville Police Department officials have some simple and sage advice for you: “Don’t do it!”  Police will be out in force all day and all night in a highly visible enforcement campaign to crack down on revelers who are driving drunk.

“Don’t think that drinking green beer gives you the right to spill red blood on Brownsvillestreets—yours or anyone else’s,” said Lt. Diebold.  “We encourage everyone who plans to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day this year with alcohol to keep in mind our anti-drunk-driving campaign slogan,  ‘Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving,’” said Chief Chris Lea.

“If you’ve had too much to drink, make sure you can rely on a sober, designated driver to get you home safely.

According to statistics compiled by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 37 percent of the motor vehicle traffic fatalities during St. Patrick’s Day 2009 involved at least one driver or motorcyclist with a blood alcohol content of .08 grams per deciliter or above, the legal level of intoxication established in every state in the union.

During St. Patrick’s Day 2009, there were 103 crash fatalities.  Of that number, 39 people were killed in traffic crashes involving at least one driver or motorcyclist with a BAC of .08 g/dLor higher.

“Alcohol not only dangerously impairs your driving skills, it also impairs your judgment.  If you see friends under the influence of alcohol, make sure you don’t let them get behind the wheel,” said Chief Chris Lea.

Lt. Diebold recommends the following easy stepsfor a safe St. Patrick’s Day.

• Plan a safe way home before the festivities begin.

• Before drinking, please designate a sober driver and leave your car keys at home.

• If you happen to see a drunk driver on the road, don’t hesitate to contact your local law enforcement.
• And remember, if you know people who are 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, visit www.TrafficSafetyManagement.gov