Licking Police Chief Scott Lindsey announced officers in his department will focus closely on impaired driving during the Fourth of July holiday period from July 3-7.
Statistics show that impaired driving contributes to nearly 30 percent of all Missouri traffic fatalities. In 2012, 244 people were killed and 885 seriously injured in crashes involving an impaired driver.
“That’s why the Licking Police Department will join other Missouri law enforcement agencies to crack down on drunk driving (during this period),” Lindsey said.
The LPD will participate in statewide DWI saturation patrols designed to enforce Missouri’s DWI laws and keep impaired drivers off the road.
Lindsey points out that consequences of drunk driving include jail time, loss of driver’s licenses or being sentenced to use ignition interlocks. Insurance rates increase, and other financial hits include attorney fees, court costs, lost time at work, and the potential loss of job or job prospects. When family, friends and co-workers find out, violators can also face tremendous personal embarrassment and humiliation.
“Driving drunk is simply not worth all the consequences,” Lindsey said. “Our message is simple and unwavering: Drive sober or get pulled over.”
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