The 4th of July holiday weekend is coming up and Texarkana, Arkansas Police want it to be a safe and happy event for all area residents.

Every year Americans hit the road headed for destinations to celebrate the Fourth of July at picnics, parties, parades and many other events.  Unfortunately the celebrating includes drinking alcohol followed by drunk driving on streets and highways during this most heavily traveled holiday period.

Nationwide there were 397 people killed in motor vehicle crashes in 2014 over the Fourth of July holiday period that covered five days.  Among those deaths, 164 people (41 percent) died from crashes involving a driver or motorcycle operator with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 grams per deciliter or higher.

Texarkana Arkansas Police will be out in full force this July 4th holiday cracking down on drunk drivers by aggressively targeting those who put lives in danger. If you drink and drive this Fourth of July you will be arrested. “The ‘Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over’ campaign means zero tolerance for drunk driving.”

The crackdown on drunk driving during the coming holiday period will involve state, city and county law enforcement officers devoting additional patrol hours beginning today and continuing through July 4th.  The objective is to minimize the risk of fatalities.

If you’re caught driving drunk, you will be arrested and the consequences of drunk driving are serious.  Not only do you put your life and the lives of others at risk, but a DWI arrest could result in a court sentence diminishing driving freedom, attorney fees, court fines and a spike in driver insurance rates.

In every state it is illegal to drive with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 grams per deciliter or higher, yet people continue to break the law and drive drunk.

Texarkana, Arkansas Police 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;
  • If you happen to see a drunk driver on the road, don’t hesitate to contact 911.
  • 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 on the “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign, visit this website  or contact the Arkansas Highway Safety Office at (501) 618-8136.  For more on the ongoing Toward Zero Deaths campaign, visit this website.

 

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