Independence Day Holiday – Celebrate America Without Handcuffs Drive Sober – Drive Safe

June 22, 2018 - Harrisburg, PA - The Pennsylvania Driving Under the Influence Association, (PA DUI Assoc.) wishes all residents and motorists in the Commonwealth a safe and enjoyable July 4th Holiday. As we take time to celebrate the birth of this great nation, motorists are reminded to exercise sound judgment by NOT drinking and driving. Don't let a bad decision ruin what should be a fun and relaxing holiday for you and your loved ones.

According to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA), there were over 37,000 motorists killed nationwide in crashes last year and over 10,000 of those fatalities involved impaired drivers. Pennsylvania Department of Transportation crash data reveals that during the week of July 4th, 2017, there were 381 crashes involving impaired motorists throughout the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Of those crashes, 15 resulted in fatalities. Ten (10) were due to alcohol impairment and the other five (5) were a result of impairment due to controlled substances. Police made over 4,000 DUI arrests during that same time. These numbers reflect that the 4th of July holiday week remains one of the deadliest time periods for motorists on Pennsylvania's highways.

C. Stephen Erni, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania DUI Association had this to say: "There are roughly 300 fatalities a year in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania due to impaired drivers. These are 300 deaths that could be prevented by simply planning ahead. As you make plans to celebrate this holiday, don't forget to plan for designated drivers, taxis or other alternative means of transportation so that nobody gets behind the wheel impaired. We at the Pennsylvania DUI Association wish everybody a safe, enjoyable holiday."

Due to the high number of impaired driving incidents during this holiday period, law enforcement officers throughout the Commonwealth will be out in force looking to remove impaired motorists from the State's highways and traffic-ways. Officers are trained to recognize impairment whether it is a result of alcohol or other controlled substances and to take appropriate enforcement action, including placing the driver under arrest for driving impaired. Motorists are reminded that highway safety is everybody's responsibility and that driving impaired is never acceptable.

www.padui.org Pennsylvania DUI Association, 2413 North Front Street, Harrisburg, PA 17110

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