DUBOIS – The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT), Penn Highlands Healthcare DuBois Campus, the Highway Safety Network and DuBois City police on Thursday urged motorists to not drive under the influence and encouraged designated driving ahead of Fourth of July celebrations this coming weekend.
“Penn Highlands is grateful for this chance to partner with these organizations and deliver this crucial safety message,” said Kara Bauer, Trauma, Outreach, and Injury Prevention coordinator for Penn Highlands DuBois.
“As a former emergency room director, I’ve seen the consequences of impaired driving firsthand and look forward to a day where DUI crashes are a thing of the past. Designating a sober driver is the simplest and most effective way toward that future.”
At the event, Penn Highlands employees and patients were invited to enjoy a mocktail beverage recipe, operate the impaired driving simulator and complete activities while wearing Drunk Busters alcohol and drug impairment simulation goggles.
DuBois City Police officers conducted mock standardized field sobriety tests with the participants. Participants were also encouraged to join the conversation online by sharing a safety selfie from the event using #CelebrateSafe.
Officer Lance Thompson with the DuBois City Police Department explained that while alcohol-related fatalities account for nearly 30 percent of all traffic fatalities in Pennsylvania, impaired driving enforcement covers more than just alcohol impairment.
He said Pennsylvania continues to enhance its drug-impaired enforcement by training officers in Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement (ARIDE) and the Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) programs.
Thompson, a DRE himself, said these officers are trained to recognize when an individual has been driving under the influence of drugs and to identify the type of drug causing the impairment.
He said his department, along with municipal police departments state-wide and the Pennsylvania State Police, have been and will continue to conduct high visibility enforcement for the duration of the Fourth of July Impaired Driving Campaign, which began June 20 and continues through Monday, July 4.
He said law enforcement will offer zero tolerance to DUI offenders. PennDOT offered the following advice for those hosting or attending a barbecue over the holiday weekend:
• If attending a barbecue, ensure your designated driver is sober before leaving. If they decided to drink, call a taxi, or catch a ride with someone you know hasn’t been drinking.
• Walking while impaired has its own risks, so have a sober friend walk home with you.
• If you’re the designated driver, don’t drink alcohol no matter what. Impairment begins with the first drink, and your friends are counting on you to get them home safely.
• Encourage other designated drivers by using #DesignatedDriver on social media. You could be a positive influence that keeps other designated drivers on track.
• If someone you know has been drinking tries to drive, take their keys, and help them get home safely.
• If you’re hosting the party, have plenty of snacks and non-alcoholic beverages for guests and designated drivers to enjoy.
• Remind guests they have a long day ahead of them and encourage them to pace themselves, eat plenty of food and drink plenty of water.
According to PennDOT 2021 data, there were 3,286 crashes in Pennsylvania between 6 p.m. Friday, June 25, and Monday, July 5.
Of those, 306 were alcohol related and another 124 were drug-related. There were 17 fatalities in the alcohol-related crashes and nine in the drug-related.
For more information on the dangers and consequences of impaired driving safety, visit www.penndot.pa.gov/safety and https://padui.org/
For regional traffic updates, follow www.twitter.com/511PAStateCOLL.