Sarasota Police Department Remind Drivers to Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over
SPD
With Americans celebrating the Labor Day holiday weekend with extra enthusiasm this year, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) wants to remind everyone about the dangers of drinking and driving. This Labor Day weekend, NHTSA will join with the Sarasota Police Department to spread the word about impaired driving dangers and to work together to get drunk drivers off the roads and help save lives.
The Sarasota Police Department along with local law enforcement agencies will show zero tolerance for drunk driving. Increased state and national messages about the dangers of drunk driving, coupled with law enforcement and increased officers on the road, aim to drastically reduce drunk driving on our nation’s roadways.
According to NHTSA, 10,511 people were killed in drunk-driving crashes in 2018. On average, 10,000 people were killed each year from 2014 to 2018 — one person was killed in drunk-driving crashes every 50 minutes in 2018. That is the equivalent of 20 jumbo jets crashing each year, with no survivors. This is why the Sarasota Police Department is working with NHTSA to remind drivers that drunk driving is not only illegal, it is a matter of life and death. As you head out to the Labor Day festivities, remember: Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over.
“We want to see Labor Day celebrated, but celebrated safely,” said Sergeant Anthony Frangioni, Sarasota Police Department Traffic Unit. “We need commitment from our community members that they’ll keep the streets free of drunk drivers so that everyone can have a safe holiday. This is a campaign to get the message out that drunk driving is illegal, and it takes lives. Help us protect the community and put an end to this senseless behavior,” Sergeant Frangioni said.
The Sarasota Police Department and NHTSA are reminding citizens of the many resources available to get them home safely. “Drunk driving is not acceptable behavior,” said Sergeant Frangioni. “It is essential to plan a sober ride home before you ever leave for the party. That’s why, during the Labor Day holiday, we will make zero exceptions for drunk driving. There are just no excuses,” he said.
The Sarasota Police Department recommends these safe alternatives to drinking and driving:
· Remember it is never okay to drink and drive. Even if you’ve had only one alcoholic beverage, designate a sober driver or plan to use public transportation or a ride sharing service to get home safely.
· Use a sober ride sharing program including AAA Tow to Go, Uber, Lyft, Taxi or friends and family.
· If you see a drunk driver on the road, contact 911 or your local law enforcement agency.
· Have a friend who is about to drink and drive? Take the keys away and plan to get your friend home safely.