Last Updated on January 13, 2017 12:21 pm
RALEIGH – The annual Governor’s Highway Safety Program’s Holiday Booze It & Lose It enforcement campaign removed thousands of impaired drivers from roadways. State and local law enforcement arrested and charged 2,664 drivers for driving while impaired, of which 2,400 were alcohol-related and 264 were drug-related.
“The safety of those traveling on our roads is our top priority,” GHSP Director Don Nail said. “Removing just one impaired driver from our roads can save a life and during this campaign, law enforcement removed 116 impaired drivers on average each day.”
During the four-week campaign, law enforcement agencies across North Carolina issued 108,951 traffic and criminal violations at 8,439 sobriety-checking stations and saturation patrols.
The number of fatalities resulting from an impaired driver dropped 16.7 percent compared to 2015, with 359 deaths in North Carolina in 2016. The Booze It & Lose It education and enforcement campaign has created increased awareness of the dangers of drinking and driving, as well as the penalties associated with driving while impaired for the past 22 years.
“It is encouraging to see that impaired driving fatalities decreased last year. I believe this trend demonstrates that people are becoming more responsible and making the decision to not drive while impaired,” continued Nail.
The top five counties for DWI arrests during the Holiday Booze It & Lose It enforcement campaign were:
- Wake County: 247
- Guilford County: 177
- Mecklenburg County: 162
- Cumberland County: 117
- Forsyth County: 110
The N.C. Department of Transportation and GHSP reminded motorists to use the mobile website BeSmarterThanThat.com to help them find a safe way home before drinking. The “Don’t Drink and Drive. You’re Smarter Than That.” marketing campaign aims to prevent impaired driving by reminding our citizens to designate a sober driver, download a ride app, find public transportation options, or call a taxi to get home safe.
Below are some of the stats for the High Country from the report:
Checkpoints: Watauga – 2, Ashe – 2 , Avery – 0
Number of Saturation Patrol: Watauga – 90, Ashe – 48, Avery – 8
Number of Checkpoints and Patrols: Watauga – 92, Ashe – 50, Avery – 8
DWI Drug Charges: Watauga – 1, Ashe – 0, Avery – 0
Under 21 DWI Charges: Watauga – 0, Ashe – 2, Avery – 1
21 and Over DWI Charges: Watauga – 12, Ashe – 2, Avery –2
TOTAL DWI: Watauga – 13, Ashe – 4, Avery – 3
Safety Belt Violations: Watauga – 23, Ashe – 14, Avery – 14
Child Passenger Safety: Watauga – 0, Ashe – 0, Avery – 3
Total Occupant Restraint Charges: Watauga – 23, Ashe – 14, Avery – 17
Drug Violations: Watauga – 16, Ashe – 2, Avery – 5
Other Criminal Violations: Watauga – 15, Ashe – 0 , Avery – 4
Total Criminal Violations: Watauga – 31, Ashe – 2, Avery – 9
Speeding: Watauga – 180, Ashe – 33, Avery – 138
Drive While License Revoked: Watauga – 5, Ashe – 17, Avery – 15
Other Traffic Violations Not Listed: Watauga – 129, Ashe – 55, Avery – 63
Uninsured Motorist: Watauga – 6, Ashe – 8, Avery – 5
Reckless Driving: Watauga – 7, Ashe – 0, Avery – 6
Total Traffic Violations: Watauga – 335, Ashe – 114, Avery – 227
Felony Arrests: Watauga – 4, Ashe – 0, Avery – 0
Stolen Vehicles Recovered: Watauga – 0, Ashe – 0, Avery – 0
Wanted Persons Apprehended: Watauga – 6, Ashe – 0, Avery – 1
Total Traffic and Criminal Violations: Watauga – 412, Ashe – 134, Avery – 257
