Usually around summer or the holiday season there is an uptick in DUI arrests in West Virginia and across the country. This is especially noticeable around holidays such as St. Patrick’s Day or New Year’s when drinking becomes an integral part of the celebrations. This year West Virginia isn’t waiting for a reason to crackdown on drunk drivers. Instead the state has begun hammering down on their DUI enforcement, making it much harder for a drunk driver to get away with a crime.
Law enforcement will use the last quarter of 2016 to tackle West Virginia DUI problems.
West Virginia has announced that they are increasing the amount of patrols through the end of summer and again in fall. Due to recent grants offered by a partnership between the Highway Safety Program and the WV State police force, this campaign promises even better safety on the roads and is a direct reflection of how budget and financial considerations impact West Virginia DUI numbers. Already, there has been a decline in traffic accidents and fatalities that resulted from drunk drivers, and those numbers are expected to decline further as the year ends.
All the grant money in the world can’t undo the damage done by a DUI, and even with more patrols, ignition interlock devices and other penalties for drunk driving, there would be no need for a crackdown if we all just remained sober behind the wheel. West Virginia already has a reputation for being tough on drunk drivers, but there is still a long way for the state to go in order to keep the streets truly safe from DUI drivers. Until everyone gets the message, let’s do our part, stay sober when driving and help out law enforcement by offering a safe ride home to others.
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