There were no traffic fatalities during the New Year’s holiday in Oregon a year ago, and the Oregon State Police want to see that trend continue this year.
For 2014, OSP troopers and local law enforcement partners will participate in a national enforcement effort, ‘Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over,’ to discourage impaired driving and prevent alcohol-related incidents on Oregon highways. During the 2013 effort, OSP troopers reported 29 DUII arrests during the 30-hour reporting period, 22 of which were on Jan. 1.
“We are encouraged by the decrease in fatalities during the 2013 New Year’s holiday period and we plan to keep up the momentum;” said OSP Major Travis Hampton. “We want folks to enjoy this time of celebration with friends and family and to keep it enjoyable by making safe and sober driving a priority.”
Important safety tips for holiday planning:
• Designated Driver – If you haven’t worked out who will drive if you’re going to drink; now’s the time!
• Make it an Overnighter – couches or hotel rooms make great landing pads and are far more comfortable than a jail bed.
• Call a cab or use public transportation.
• Be a good host – Tasty non-alcoholic beverages for the designated driver of the group is a great gesture; your designated driver will appreciate it.
• Reach out for help – if you’ve been drinking you shouldn’t be driving. Call a cab, phone a friend or send for backup on Twitter – it may mean the difference in someone else’s life.
• If you do see a drinker behind the wheel call and report it: 9-1-1 or OSP at 1-800-24DRUNK (800-243-7865)
Some startling data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) shows that during the holiday season in 2012, 40 percent of the drunk drivers involved in fatal crashes had at least one prior DUI on their record. And many offenders are young drivers: during that same holiday period 37 percent of the 21- to 24-year old drivers in fatal crashes were drunk. Surprisingly, almost 1 out of 6 drivers under the age of 21 in those fatal crashes were also drunk, even though they’re too young to legally buy or consume alcohol.
According to Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), since 1970, there were no fatalities reported in 2003, (30 hour period) and 2010, (78 hour period). Preliminary numbers for the 2014 Christmas holiday reporting period indicate (5) vehicle related fatalities in Oregon, Wednesday, Dec. 24 at 6 p.m., to Sunday, Dec. 28, at 11:59 p.m. The New Year’s holiday reporting time is Wednesday, Dec. 31, at 6 p.m., to Sunday, Jan. 4, 2015, at 11:59 p.m.
