2008 Woodie Awards
Increased patrols to get drunk drivers off the road
Washington state law enforecment is continuing its "Target Zero" campaign this holiday season to reduce the amount of alcohol-related incidents on roads and highways
Kathy Bray
Issue date:
11/21/07
Section:
Campus
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If you choose to drink and drive this
holiday season, know that law enforcement
has made getting you off the road a
priority.
According to the Kitsap County Traffic
Safety Task Force, driving under the influence
is the single largest cause of fatality
collisions in Washington state.
Washington State Troopers in Kitsap
County had 1,110 DUI arrests in 2006.
So far this year, there have been 768 DUI
arrests.
"Target Zero is our goal to eradicate
fatality collisions by 2030," Ken Noland,
Washington State Patrol Lieutenant, said.
In 2000, "Target Zero" was created as
part of the Washington State Strategic
Highway Safety Plan goal to have zero
disabling injuries and zero fatalities by
2030. In order to meet the goal, 24 fewer
fatalities must occur each year until 2030.
Some of the many campaigns being used
to meet the "Target Zero" goal include
"Drive Hammered, Get Nailed," "Click it
or Ticket," and "C.A.R.E."
Due to these media campaigns and
stricter impaired driving laws, there has
been a drop in impaired driver fatalities. In
1983 it was at 51 percent; by 2005 it went
down to 41 percent.
Gov. Christine Gregoire signed a bill into
law that will make a fifth DUI conviction
in 10 years a felony with a maximum prison
term of five years. This law went into
effect in July. In a Nov. 9 article, the Kitsap
Sun reported a Bainbridge man, Todd R.
Duffner, 22, as the first in Kitsap County to
have felony charges filed against him by
Kitsap County prosecutors.
According to the Mothers Against Drunk
Driving Web site, the burden of funding
drunk-driving programs should rest on
the offender by channeling DUI fines and
fees back into preventative enforcement
efforts. MADD also encourages mandatory
alcohol testing of all drivers in serious
crashes.
Carolyn Pence, coordinator for the
Traffic Safety Task Force, said out of the
485 Blood Alcohol Content tests given last
holiday season, know that law enforcement
has made getting you off the road a
priority.
According to the Kitsap County Traffic
Safety Task Force, driving under the influence
is the single largest cause of fatality
collisions in Washington state.
Washington State Troopers in Kitsap
County had 1,110 DUI arrests in 2006.
So far this year, there have been 768 DUI
arrests.
"Target Zero is our goal to eradicate
fatality collisions by 2030," Ken Noland,
Washington State Patrol Lieutenant, said.
In 2000, "Target Zero" was created as
part of the Washington State Strategic
Highway Safety Plan goal to have zero
disabling injuries and zero fatalities by
2030. In order to meet the goal, 24 fewer
fatalities must occur each year until 2030.
Some of the many campaigns being used
to meet the "Target Zero" goal include
"Drive Hammered, Get Nailed," "Click it
or Ticket," and "C.A.R.E."
Due to these media campaigns and
stricter impaired driving laws, there has
been a drop in impaired driver fatalities. In
1983 it was at 51 percent; by 2005 it went
down to 41 percent.
Gov. Christine Gregoire signed a bill into
law that will make a fifth DUI conviction
in 10 years a felony with a maximum prison
term of five years. This law went into
effect in July. In a Nov. 9 article, the Kitsap
Sun reported a Bainbridge man, Todd R.
Duffner, 22, as the first in Kitsap County to
have felony charges filed against him by
Kitsap County prosecutors.
According to the Mothers Against Drunk
Driving Web site, the burden of funding
drunk-driving programs should rest on
the offender by channeling DUI fines and
fees back into preventative enforcement
efforts. MADD also encourages mandatory
alcohol testing of all drivers in serious
crashes.
Carolyn Pence, coordinator for the
Traffic Safety Task Force, said out of the
485 Blood Alcohol Content tests given last
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