Warren County STOP DWI urges planning for safe summer
Warren County STOP-DWI Coordinator Reagan Kelley is urging Warren County residents to plan ahead for safe graduation and July 4th parties to avoid getting behind the wheel of a vehicle while impaired or intoxicated.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the summer months annually bring an increase in drunken driving-related injuries and arrests, as summer social gatherings result in more alcohol use. The July 4th weekend is typically one of the deadliest of the year on the nation’s roads, in part because of increased alcohol use.
From 2015 to 2019, there were 1,339 drivers killed in motor vehicle traffic crashes over the Fourth of July holiday period, and 38% of the drivers killed were drunk, according to NHTSA.
In light of these statistics, the Warren County Sheriff’s Office will join other local police agencies with enhanced enforcement during the July 4th weekend.
To plan an outing with safe transportation, Kelley urged Warren County residents and visitors to consider a new cellphone application known as “Have a Plan” to help find sober rides when they have been drinking. “Have a Plan,” which is available in the Apple and Android app stores, allows residents to plan their night and ensure they have a safe way home.
“You don’t have to risk getting behind the wheel and becoming a drunken driving statistic, or worse, a fatality,” Kelley explained. “All of us at the Warren County Sheriff’s Office and STOP-DWI would like to remind everyone in our community to plan ahead when attending any summer events that may include alcohol. Designate a driver or utilize ride share like Lyft or Uber, or use the Have a Plan App. Talk to your graduating seniors about the dangers of drinking and driving and do not supply anyone under the age of 21 with alcohol. Have fun, but don’t end up hurting yourself or someone else.”
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