17-Day Sweep Of Impaired Drivers

[Happy Mom]

Impaired driver crackdown slated
250 police agencies in state participating in 17-day sweep.

By DAVE STEPHENS
Tribune Staff Writer

For Indiana police officers, the term March Madness can have a meaning slightly different than basketball and tournaments.

Last year, March brought 41 driving deaths to Indiana, nearly a quarter of them caused by impaired driving.

This year, local police departments hope to combat that number.


On Friday, the nine St. Joseph County law enforcement agencies announced they are starting a 17-day campaign to crack down on impaired and dangerous drivers. The campaign is part of a statewide initiative involving more than 250 agencies, financed by federal grants administered through the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute.

Lance Grubbs, a liaison between the state agency and local law enforcement agencies, said the combination of St. Patrick's Day as well as the usual celebrations celebrated during the NCAA college-basketball tournament tend to result in more impaired drivers on the state's roads in March.

"Unfortunately the celebrations can turn deadly when people get behind the wheel," Grubs said.

For most of March, local police departments will be conducting "saturation patrols," said Lt. Tim Williams with the Mishawaka Police Department, who directs the St. Joseph County Traffic Safety Partnership, which is made up of all nine of the county's police departments.

Officers from those departments will also conduct a roadside checkpoint on March 17, St. Patrick's Day, at an undisclosed location.

"We know that's a day when people can get carried away," Williams said.

To help combat impaired driving, Williams said he is talking with bar owners to join a designated driver wrist-band program, which will allow people wearing the bracelet to receive free soft drinks while serving as designated drivers. Williams said that plan has not been finalized but that a list of participant bars will be announced in the near future.

Williams said he hopes that publicizing the enforcement blitz will encourage people to act responsibly, but he also encourages the public to call 911 if they see someone who is driving dangerously.

The grant pays officers to work overtime to conduct the extra patrols, and Williams said officers will be patrolling every day of the campaign.

"We want to make sure everyone gets home safe and sober," Williams said. "We don't want celebration to turn into tragedy."

Staff writer Dave Stephens:
dstephens@sbtinfo.com
(574) 235-6209
http://www.southbendtribune.com/article ... 052/News01

[jroyale]

I know that the past 2 weeks, the ISP has saturated 20 between Elm and 19, I have seen about 7 cars everyday. 2 miles where the speed limit is retained.

[Happy Mom]

I drove to Purdue today and saw one or two but not as many as I usually encounter.