Operation Pull Over runs through Sunday, December 6, 2015
In November 2014, there were 520 alcohol-related crashes across Indiana
resulting in 235 injuries and three fatalities. According to NHTSA (National Highway Transportation Safety Board) across
the nation impaired driving kills over 10,000 people a year.
In an effort to make the holiday travel period safer, the Indiana State
Police has partnered with over 200 law enforcement agencies across the
state in an
Operation Pull Over campaign which will run through Sunday, December 6th.
What this means to you as a driver is more sobriety check points and more
patrols looking for impaired drivers and motorists not wearing seat belts.
These efforts are meant to help keep you safer and hopefully, make all
drivers smarter about their choices when driving.
Consider this sobering fact from the NHTSA: Among the 10,076 alcohol-impaired-driving fatalities in 2013, almost 70%
(6,860) were in crashes in which at least one driver in the crash had
a BAC of .15 g/dL or higher.
Fatalities in Crashes Involving at Least One Driver with a BAC of .08 or Higher*
10 safety tips for Holiday Drivers:
To ensure the safety of all motorists and passengers, please do your part
and remember these safety tips:
- Avoid tailgating and remember the two-second rule.
- Even in stopped traffic, leave a car length between you and the driver
ahead of you. - Watch for slowed or stopped traffic when approaching construction zones.
Watch approaching traffic in your mirror and be prepared to take evasive action. - Beware of bridges, overpasses and intersections where ice tends to form
first in cold inclement weather. - Don’t use cruise control on slick roads.
- Make sure everyone in your vehicle is buckled up.
- DON’T BE DISTRACTED-Pull over and stop to use electronic devices.
- DON’T DRIVE IMPAIRED-Have a designated driver.
- MOVE OVER and SLOW DOWN for emergency and highway service vehicles.
- Decrease your speed according to traffic and road conditions
Increased enforcement during the Thanksgiving holiday period is an annual
statewide effort supported by federal funding allocated from the Traffic
Safety division of the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute. Designing and
implementing effective traffic safety policies requires analysis of traffic
collisions. To help in the policy-making process, the Indiana University
Public Policy Institute (PPI) has collaborated with the Indiana Criminal
Justice Institute (ICJI) to monitor and analyze data from the Indiana
State Police.
In addition to Operation Pullover, Indiana State Police will conduct D.U.I.
checkpoints
on the evening of November 20th and the early morning hours of November 21st.
After the checkpoint, troopers will conduct roving patrols seeking impaired
drivers throughout the Indianapolis District which covers Marion, Johnson,
Shelby, Hendricks, Hamilton, Hancock and Boone Counties. Motorists are
encouraged to report suspected impaired drivers by calling 911.
The attorneys and staff at
Tabor Law Firm see far too many injuries as a result of automobile, truck and motorcycle
accidents from the hundreds of cases that come across our desks. While
we can’t reverse the unfortunate situation that makes it necessary
for people to seek us out for personal injury advice and representation,
we can continue to share preventive measures to help keep you safe.
Don’t find yourself
“Over the Limit and Under Arrest”
-
Call a taxi or a sober friend.
A cab ride is cheaper than a D.U.I. arrest. - Take care of your friends. Never let a friend drive while impaired. Take
their keys. - If you are hosting a party, always offer non-alcoholic beverages. Make
sure all of your guests leave with a sober driver. - Never provide alcohol to anyone under the legal drinking age of 21.
Please keep these safety tips in mind when you travel this holiday season.
Share this with someone you care about and
click here for more facts about driving while impaired.
