CHARLESTON AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. –
The 437th Security Forces Squadron will be out in full force during the Labor Day holiday.
They will join thousands of other law enforcement and highway safety agencies throughout the nation as they take part in the Drunk Driving, Over the Limit, Under Arrest crackdown on impaired driving.
The enforcement blitz will last through the holiday weekend.
Drunk driving is one of America's deadliest crimes. In 2007, nearly 13,000 people died in highway crashes involving a driver or motorcycle operator with a blood alcohol concentration of .08 or higher. Also in 2007, 51 percent, or 6,159, of the 21 to 34-year-old drivers killed in passenger-vehicle crashes had a BAC of .08 or higher. Alcohol impaired driving crashes represent an average of one fatality every 40 minutes.
Motorcycle rider statistics are particularly bleak. For fatal crashes in 2007, more motorcycle riders had a blood alcohol concentration of .08 or higher than any other type of motor vehicle driver. Remember, alcohol affects skills essential to operating a motorcycle, balance and coordination. Drinking plays an enormous role in motorcycle fatalities.
Make no mistake, our message is simple. No matter what you drive, a passenger car, truck, sport utility vehicle or motorcycle, law enforcement agencies will arrest you if you drive impaired. There will be no exceptions and no excuses. Far too many people still don't understand alcohol, drugs and driving don't mix. Impaired driving is no accident nor is it a victimless crime. Law enforcement officers will be out in force to keep impaired drivers off the road and save lives.
"Driving with a BAC of .08 or higher is illegal in every state. Yet we continue to see tragic numbers of people with debilitating injuries and deaths as a result of impaired driving. To help ensure that does not happen, law enforcement from around the United States is dedicated to arresting impaired drivers wherever and whenever we find them," said Senior Master Sgt. Clinton Harris, 437 SFS operations superintendent.
Drunk driving is not worth the risk. Not only do you risk killing yourself or someone else, but the trauma and financial costs of a crash or arrest can be significant. Violators can face punitive action under the Uniform Code of Military Justice, jail time, the loss of their driver's license, higher insurance rates, attorney fees, time away from work and many other expenses. Don't take the chance. If you are caught over the limit, you will be placed under arrest.
Remember - drunk driving, over the limit, under arrest.