’Tis the season to be jolly — but not reckless. So say area law enforcement agencies that are planning increased holiday patrols in the coming weeks to crack down on impaired drivers.
“The holiday season is a busy time on the roads,” the Canby Police Department said in a Facebook post this week. “To keep drivers and their passengers safe, Canby PD will participate in a nationwide traffic safety campaign to remind drivers about the dangers of drinking and driving.”
Canby police planned to conduct high visibility enforcement operations from December 12 through January 2 to keep impaired drivers off the road.
Other local and regional law enforcement agencies have also announced crack-down operations and shared similar sentiments this week.
“If any of your holiday celebrations include alcoholic beverages and going out, designate a sober driver, use an Uber/Lyft, or have a friend on standby,” the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office said on Facebook. “Whatever you do, DO NOT get behind the wheel impaired!”
The sheriff’s office’s campaign starts Thursday, December 15, and also runs through January 2, with deputies using federally funded overtime hours to conduct enhanced enforcement targeting impaired drivers.
Funding comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, administered by the Oregon Department of Transportation and Oregon Impact.
The Marion County Sheriff’s Office will also have additional deputies on patrol this month.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 32 people in the United States die in drunk driving crashes every day — the equivalent of about one person every 45 minutes. In 2020, 11,654 people died in alcohol-impaired incidents — a 14% increase from the previous year.
