Cops Launching DUI Crackdown Next Week
MIAMI (CBS4) – Beginning this Friday, Miami police will join law enforcement agencies across the country in a new campaign which targets drunk drivers.
During "Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over" police and highway patrol officers will aggressively go after impaired drivers and arrest anyone caught driving under the influence regardless of age, vehicle type or time of day. The campaign will wrap up at the end of the long Labor Day weekend.
In 2009 alone, nearly 10,839 people died in crashes in which a driver or motorcycle rider was at or above the legal limit, according to the latest statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The age group with the highest percentage of alcohol impaired drivers in fatal crashes is young people age 21-24.
Across the country, it is illegal to drive with a blood alcohol concentration of .08 or higher. Approximately 10,000 police agencies will participate in this year's crackdown, including law enforcement officers representing every State and the District of Columbia.
Those caught driving under the influence could face jail time, loss of their driver licenses or be sentenced to use ignition interlocks. In addition to the legal ramifications, DUI drivers face increased insurance rates, attorney fees, court costs, lost time at work and the potential loss of their job.
