Be aware of extra police patrols during the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign from from Aug. 19 to Sept. 5 in King County.
“As we kick-off the Summer Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign, we want drivers to be as aware of the dangers of driving under the influence of drugs as they are of the dangers of driving under the influence of alcohol,” said Darrin Grondel, Washington Traffic Safety Commission director, in a media release.
Washington law enforcement officers will join the national Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign aimed at encouraging everyone to get a safe ride, especially if alcohol, prescription or over-the-counter medicine, or other drug use might be causing any impairment.
The participating agencies include Algona, Auburn, Bellevue, Black Diamond, Covington, Des Moines, Enumclaw, Federal Way, Issaquah, Kent, Kirkland, Lake Forest Park, Maple Valley, Mercer Island, Newcastle, Normandy Park, Pacific, Redmond, Renton, Sammamish, SeaTac, Seattle, Shoreline, Snoqualmie and Tukwila police departments, and the Washington State Patrol.
According to the state’s deadly crash data, there were 251 impaired drivers involved in deadly crashes in 2015. Of these drivers, 20 percent tested positive for alcohol greater than .08 (the drunk driving limit) and another 20 percent tested positive for a single drug. However, nearly 60 percent of these drivers tested positive for multiple drugs, or drugs mixed with alcohol.
“When someone combines impairing substances, such as consuming marijuana and drinking alcohol, they may experience a greater level of impairment than they expected,” said Grondel. “This data shows that combining alcohol and drugs, or one drug with another drug can be a very deadly mix for drivers.
These extra patrols are part of Target Zero—striving to end traffic deaths and serious injuries in Washington by 2030. For more information, visit targetzero.com.
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