Law enforcement officers in Georgia have been sending the message to New Year’s Eve partygoers that if they drink and drive tonight, they are going to get caught. The Georgia State Patrol Nighthawk DUI Task Force and local law enforcement officers will be out in full force on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day conducting DUI checkpoints and increased roving patrols, all with the goal of making numerous DUI arrests.
According to the Savannah Morning News, in general, police departments around Georgia have seen an increase this year in DUI arrests. The Savannah-Chatham DUI Task Force has seen a 17 percent increase in DUI arrests. Officers have said that the increase in arrests can be attributed to several factors, including the economic downturn. Police officers interviewed by the Savannah Morning News also said that the increase in arrests is due to more aggressive enforcement and more officers trained in administering field sobriety tests.
The increase in DUI arrests has not meant fewer fatalities in car accidents involving an impaired driver. Georgia law enforcement reports that those numbers are also going up. For this reason, the Georgia State Patrol has ramped up its efforts to crack down on aggressive, inattentive and impaired driving over the holidays.
Be safe out there and have a happy New Year!
Source:
Agencies pledge to catch anyone driving impaired (Savannah Morning News)