Every 33 minutes, someone in this nation dies in a traffic accident as a result of driving under the influence.

Tuesday, December 04, 2001

Every 33 minutes, someone in this nation dies in a traffic accident as a result of driving under the influence.

That’s 16,000 people dying a preventable death.

Ohio isn’t immune to the nationwide problem, either. Last year, according to statistics from the office of public safety driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs claimed the lives of 350 people and caused injuries to 14,293 Ohioans in 2000. The numbers also show that one-in-four fatal crashes in the state involve alcohol.

With the upcoming Christmas and New Year’s Eve holiday’s approaching, Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers and the Ohio Department of Public Safety are urging motorists to take control of their holiday plans and refrain from drinking and driving.

And, motorists are asked to join the patrol on Dec. 13, by turning on their headlights for the "Light’s on for Life" day. By burning headlights all day, motorists can help remember the victims of impaired drivers and show their support for anti-impaired driving efforts.

In a prepared release Lt. Gov. Maureen O’ Conner, the director of the ODPS, said, "the winter holiday season is an especially crucial time of the year to address the issue of impaired driving and its impact upon our community. With the proliferation of celebrations, the potential risk of impaired driving becomes even greater."

The ODPS is reminding holiday party-goers there are alternatives to driving under the influence. "We’d like you to know that you have three options," the O’Conner wrote, adding that partiers can either designate a sober driver before going out, or make plans to spend the night, or use a taxi or take advantage of a "safe ride" program.

December is also designated National Drunk and Drugged Driving, or 3D, Prevention month.

In response to 3D month, troopers are increasing both education and enforcement of impaired driving.

In a prepared statement, Col. Kenneth Morckel, superintendent of the patrol, said, "an impaired driver behind the wheel is risking their life, as well as the lives of innocent children and adults traveling on our highways." He added, "despite this, impaired driving is not being taken seriously enough. If you plan to drink during the holiday, designate a driver or make other travel arrangements, it’s a matter of life and death."

Locally, OSHP Lt. Carl Roark, said troopers spent about a month in the high schools using the FatalVision goggles to demonstrate how reflexes are affected by drinking. The goggles simulate vision at 0.08 BAC in the daytime and 0.14 BAC at night. Roark said that all available troopers in the county will be out during the holiday weekends to monitor holiday travel traffic.

Troopers across the state will continue to participate in the MADD Red Ribbon campaign to remind Ohioans to designate a driver and the patrol will beef up its patrol during the National Holiday Lifesavers Weekend Mobilization on Dec. 21 to Dec. 23.

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