Georgetown police promise 'aggressive' patrols for impaired drivers
Message of crackdown: 'Drive sober or get pulled over'
By Donna Capodelupo / Wicked Local North Andover - Georgetown Record
Posted Aug 18, 2011
Georgetown — Georgetown police Chief James Mulligan said his department will join nearly 200 public safety agencies statewide through Labor Day weekend to crack down on impaired driving.
Part of a national program known as “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over,” the seven-week crackdown culminates on Sept. 5. Until then, local and state police will step up their efforts to find and stop drunken or drug-impaired drivers, here in Massachusetts and in states across the country.
According to information from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the number of alcohol-impaired-driving fatalities in Massachusetts fell from 2008 to 2009, the last full year for which statistics are available.
In 2009 alone, 108 people died in Massachusetts as a result of crashes in which a driver or motorcycle rider was at or above the legal limit, according to the NHTSA. The age group with the highest percentage of alcohol-impaired-driving fatalities in motor vehicle traffic crashes was the 21- to 24-year-old age group.
“All too often, innocent, law-abiding people suffer tragic consequences and the loss of loved ones due to this careless disregard for human life. Because we’re committed to keeping the Commonwealth’s roadways safe, we’re intensifying enforcement during the crackdown. Since twice as many alcohol-impaired crashes occur over the weekend and four times as many occur at night, we will be especially vigilant during these high-risk times when impaired drivers are most likely to be on our roads,” Mulligan said.
Georgetown police will look aggressively for allimpaired drivers during the crackdown and will arrest anyone they find driving while impaired — regardless of age, vehicle type or time of day, Mulligan said.
“Our message is simple and unwavering: if we find you operating while impaired, we will arrest you. No exceptions. We consider this to be an issue of safety and quality of life in our community” he said. “Even if you beat the odds and manage to walk away from an impaired-driving crash alive, the trauma and financial costs of a crash or an arrest for driving while impaired can still destroy your life.”
According to the Registry of Motor Vehicles, violators often face jail time, loss of their driver licenses, or are sentenced to use ignition interlocks. Their insurance rates go up. Other financial expenses include attorney fees, court costs, lost time at work, and the potential loss of a current or prospective job. All told, a first offense can easily cost well over $5,000 as well as personal embarrassment and humiliation.
“Driving impaired is simply not worth all the consequences. So don’t take the chance. Remember: Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over,” Mulligan said.
Massachusetts State Police are planning a sobriety checkpoint in Essex County on Saturday, Aug. 20, and Sunday, Aug. 21.
According to the state police, the purpose is to educate drivers and strengthen the public’s awareness of the need to detect and remove drivers who operate under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs from local roads.
A state police spokesman said the checkpoints will be done during varied hours, the selection of vehicles will not be arbitrary, safety will be assured, and any inconveniences to drivers will be minimized with advance notice to reduce fear and anxiety.
For more information on checkpoints and patrols planned through the holiday weekend, visit the High-Visibility Enforcement Campaign Headquarters at www.mass.gov/highwaysafety.
 
This article originally appeared in the Georgetown Record
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