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CPD offers advice on having a safe and happy New Years

For those of you that will be out and about bringing in the New Year, you won’t be alone. There will be additional law enforcement officers patrolling the roadways and neighborhoods looking for impaired drivers. There will be 11 additional officers working Thursday and six additional officers on Friday and Saturday night performing saturation patrols, with the primary purpose of deterring impaired drivers.

The New Year’s holiday is falling in conjunction with a weekend, which usually increases the incidents of impaired driving. According to statistics gathered by the National Highway Safety Transportation Agency since 1982, New Year’s consistently has a higher percentage of alcohol related fatalities than any other day in December.

Roadside Sobriety Checkpoint

Recently, another trend which has come to light is the increase in the number of females arrested for driving under the influence. According to an FBI report, Crime in the United States, there has been a 28.8 percent increase in the number of women arrested for driving under the influence (DUI) over a 10 year period from 1998-2007. Males have actually had a 7.5 percent decrease in DUI arrests during the same time frame. In 2008, 11,773 people were killed in alcohol impaired driving crashes, accounting for one-third (32%) of all traffic related crashes in the United States. In reference to the fatalities, 34 percent were between the ages of 21 and 24, 25 to 34 was next with 31 percent, and 35 to 44 was 25 percent. Also in 2008, 1.4 million drivers were arrested for DUI.

According to Clarksville Police Department statistics, there have been 765 DUI arrests for 2009; 627 males (81 percent) and 138 females (19 percent). In 2008, there were 922 DUI arrests; 705 males (76 percent) `and 217 females (24 percent). Over one third of the fatalities in 2009 have been alcohol –related.

The goal of law enforcement is to deter impaired driving and keep citizens safe. There are some simple steps which citizens can do to contribute to that effort:

Keep in mind alcohol effects begin quickly – Driving related skills and decision making abilities are diminished long before the physical signs of intoxication begin;

Even when the drinking stops, alcohol effects do not- Alcohol affects the brain and body long after the last drink. Alcohol continues in the stomach and intestine and continues to enter the bloodstream and circulate. Some of the effects may last into the next day;

Plan ahead – It is difficult to give specific advice about drinking. There are too many factors which affect a person’s tolerance. One thing for sure, there is no way to speed up the brain or body’s recovery from alcohol. It takes time;

Prepare ahead of time – Get a designated driver. Clarksville Transit has set up transportation to assist those that celebrate or use other forms of public transportation.

Best bet – If you’ve been drinking don’t drive. Bring in the New Year Safely!

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