BOOZE and BELTS MOBILIZATION

Date: 11/28/11

CFPD to join Booze and Belts traffic safety mobilization

In an effort to prevent traffic crashes and keep the upcoming holiday season from becoming a time of tragedy, the Chippewa Falls Police Department will join the statewide “Booze and Belts” campaign from Dec. 9 to 17.

“Our officers will participate in the Booze and Belts mobilization to prevent needless traffic deaths and injuries by arresting impaired drivers and enforcing the mandatory safety belt law,” said Lt. Mark Hanson. “Although this may be the time of year for the ‘holiday spirit of forgiveness’, we absolutely will not accept excuses or make exceptions for disregarding these basic traffic safety laws.”

Law enforcement agencies across the state will be cracking down on intoxicated and unbuckled motorists.  Last year, alcohol-related crashes killed 220 people in Wisconsin and injured more than 3,500. There were more than 40,000 convictions for drunken driving in Wisconsin in 2010. In addition, many unbuckled drivers and passengers were seriously injured or killed after being ejected from their vehicles or tossed around violently inside them during a crash.

 “If you drive drunk, or impaired on drugs or medication, you are risking huge fines, possible jail time and the humiliation of being arrested and locked up” said Lt. Hanson.  “You also face having to install an ignition interlock device on every vehicle you own, have registered in your name, or drive, not to mention enormous increases in your insurance rates.  Most importantly, you are risking your life and the lives of others on the road.”

Furthermore, there were nearly 120,000 convictions for failure to fasten safety belts, which was the second most frequent traffic conviction in 2010.

“Our goal has never been to make more arrests or write more safety belt tickets. This whole effort is to save lives and prevent injuries. We hope that people will voluntarily decide to buckle up and drive sober.  We would prefer that motorists do a better job of policing themselves—if not to protect their own lives, then to save their loved ones from a tragic holiday season.  If they absolutely can’t bring themselves to use good judgment, however, our intensified enforcement will certainly increase the risks of getting caught,” Lt. Hanson said.  “We will pursue our enforcement and education efforts until we attain our ultimate goal of zero preventable traffic deaths in Wisconsin.”