Holiday Drunk Driving
By:
Updated: April 17, 2007
The Fayetteville Police Department will have extra officers on the roads this weekend as part of an aggressive move to keep everyone safe.
Fayetteville Police made 7 DWI arrests Thursday night, and although they`ve warned party-goers every year before about the dangers of getting behind the wheel drunk, officers say it`s important to put out reminders.
"You`d like to think this message is simple and that we could appeal to most folk`s common sense to not get in a car when they`ve had too much to drink. But the simple fact exists, most people that get caught for DWI don`t think they`re going to get caught," said Sergeant Shannon Gabbard.
Almost 13,000 people were killed in 2005 in crashes involving drivers with blood alcohol concentrations over the legal limit.
And over the past five years...51 people were killed on Arkansas roads over the holidays...20 of those deaths involved someone impaired by alcohol or drugs.
"Those are pretty staggering numbers when you think about that many people being out on the road that are caught. Chances are there are a lot more people out there driving drunk, that`s just what got caught."
Officers suggest designating a sober driver before going out...And recognizing when you`ve had too much to drink.
"There are too many other options out there to allow yourself to get in a car and drive drunk."
