Statewide DUI Crackdown Begins

Drive sober or get pulled over is the message state and local law enforcement agencies want to get out as they kick off their annual campaign to keep impaired motorists off Florida roads.

“It will be hard to enjoy the holiday season when you are sitting in a jail cell or worse,” warned Col. David H. Brierton, director of the Florida Highway Patrol. “Drunk driving affects not only you, but your family, friends and the innocent motorists you happen to come in contact with.”

In 2013, almost 20 percent of all fatal crashes in the Sunshine State were alcohol related. Last year’s campaign netted 421 DUI arrests statewide, FHP reports.

While troopers plan to be out in force throughout the entire holiday campaign, which runs now until Jan. 1, 2015, local law enforcement agencies are also stepping up enforcement efforts.

Agencies throughout the Tampa Bay area have issued statements about their intent keep impaired drivers from getting behind the wheel.

In Pinellas County, for example, deputies have set up a two-day DUI wolf pack for this Friday and Saturday. They’ll work with police from Clearwater, Tarpon Springs, Pinellas Park and St. Petersburg, along with troopers, to enhance enforcement throughout the weekend.

FHP urges motorists to plan ahead if they intend to drink while away from home. It’s best, troopers say, to designate a driver or call a taxi or sober friend.

For those who see an impaired driver on the roadway, the patrol asks for a call at *FHP from cellphones.

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