HOLIDAYS- DUI Patrols

Law enforcement agencies have been conducting DUI emphasis patrols to protect citizens from drunk drivers. The holiday period, from Halloween through New Years, is one part of the year that the agencies gear up their patrols. With bad weather, increase in partying. socializing and drinking the holiday period can be a dangerous period for driving.

Over the Halloween weekend, the State Patrol arrested 34 drivers for DUI in Snohomish County. Their goal was to have zero fatalities or serious injuries due to DUI crashes. They succeeded over that weekend.

http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20101102/BLOG41/101109973

http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20101101/BLOG41/101109988

The State Patrol has formed "Target Zero Teams" who along with local police agencies in Pierce, King and Snohomish counties have the goal of eliminating drunk driving deaths in 20 years. The teams and State Parol analysts use DUI reports and statistics to develop DUI Danger Zones throughout Puget Sound. By designating these zones, the State Patrol can make decisions on where and when to patrol for drinking drivers.

The State Patrol has designated two danger zones in south Snohomish County, Mill Creek and Lynnwood.

The Mill Creek zone lies primarily to the west of Mill Creek.

According to a State Patrol report (http://komonews.s3.amazonaws.com/101101_dui_snohomish.pdf) the Mill Creek zone has had 10 fatal impaired crashes that killed 11 people between 2007 and 2009. Five of the 10 crashes occurred on Sundays. One of the crashes involved a stolen vehicle. Only one crash occurred during rainy conditions.

The State Patrol also considered the number of citizen calls to 911 reporting possible DUI drivers. Between 2007 and 2009, 911 logged 2,389 citizen reports of possible DUI or erratically driven vehicles in the Mill Creek zone. Calls steadily increased starting at noon with peak hours between 6pm and 11pm. Saturdays followed by Fridays and then Sundays had the highest number of DUI reports.

 
The Lynnwood Danger Zone lies south of 196th St SW to Mountlake Terrace.
 
 

 
During the 2007 to 2009 period, this zone had 7 impaired fatal crashes that killed 7 people. Five out of the seven crashes were speed related and five occurred between 8pm and 11pm. One vehicle was stolen.

911 logged 99 citizen reports of possible DUI or erratically driven vehicles. Most calls came on Saturdays followed by Sundays then Thursdays.

For more information about the program go to:

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/106480484.html?

So, advice that you probably have heard before:

1. Don't drink and drive.
2. If you do drink, use a designated driver to take you home. Or call a taxi.
3. If you see someone driving a car erratically, call 911 with the license number, car description, location and direction of travel.