Increased DUI enforcement planned over July 4 weekend
Last year, more than 2,900 vehicle crashes occurred during the Fourth of July weekend, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.
To help decrease that number, the Center for Traffic Safety is enhancing its patrols during this year's Independence Day weekend.
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In York County, a sobriety checkpoint will be conducted sometime between 6 p.m. Friday and 6 p.m. Monday, according to a news release from the Center for Traffic Safety. DUI patrols will occur in Adams County throughout the weekend.
These enforcement activities are funded with federal grant money provided by PennDOT and established on roadways that have had a high number of crashes and arrests involving impaired drivers, the release states.
Law enforcement officials will also be on the lookout for instances of boating under the influence.
"Individuals who operate their boats while impaired with alcohol and other drugs present a serious public safety concern," the release states.
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Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission officers arrested 92 individuals in 2014 for boating under the influence. Data shows a steady increase in the number of people boating while intoxicated in the past five years, according to the release.
The legal limit for operating a watercraft in Pennsylvania is the same as for driving a vehicle: a blood alcohol concentration of .08 percent.
Driver's licenses will not be suspended for people convicted of boating under the influence, the release states, but drivers arrested for a DUI can face heavier fines if they have a BUI record.
How to stay safe
- Plan a safe way home before the fun begins.
- Designate a sober driver or use public transportation.
- Download NHTSA's SaferRide mobile app, which identifies your location and lets you call a taxi or friend: www.nhtsa.gov/link/saferride.
- Don't hesitate to contact local law enforcement if you see a drunk driver on the road.
