Salt Lake police start a crackdown on drunken driving

Local authorities are teaming up to crack down on drunken drivers this holiday season.

"Alcohol consumed at holiday parties and poor driving conditions can be a lethal combination," said Salt Lake City Police Capt. Carroll Mays.

He said police forces have a goal of reducing the number of injury accidents involving drugs and alcohol this holiday season.

Salt Lake City police kicked off a DUI enforcement campaign Friday night at the Pioneer Precinct. Their pledge is that the city and county roadways will be watched with extra attention from Dec. 1 to Jan. 1. Their hope is to save families and friends the heartache of losing someone close during the holidays, and to prosecute those found to be driving under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol.

"The causes of tragedy from drinking and driving are endless," said Rick Dinse, Salt Lake City police chief.

Dinse said 72 of Utah's 296 fatalities on roads and highways last year were a direct result of crashes that were alcohol- or drug-related.

"There are volumes we could speak about people who have suffered at the hands of DUI drivers," he said. "We know people are going to go out and party . . . but our message is this: We are going to be alert. We are going to have a number of our officers dedicated to look for and arrest DUI drivers."

Local and state agencies will be out in full force conducting sobriety checkpoints and saturation patrols throughout Utah. Dinse said officers are aware of the signs and behaviors of drunken drivers and prosecutors are working with them to penalize people who choose to drink and drive.

Utah Highway Patrol troopers are stepping it up a notch this time of year as well.

"We are committed to enforcing these laws aggressively," said UHP Lt. Fred Swain. "Don't get behind the wheel of a vehicle if you've been drinking. Save somebody the tragedy of losing a loved one."

The National Traffic and Highway Safety Administration reports that 17,000 people are killed every year by motorists driving under the influence. Fifty percent of those deaths are drunken drivers themselves.

"Those people who are arrested (for a DUI) one day will figure out that officer saved their life," said Art Brown, Utah chapter president of Mothers Against Drunk Driving.

Brown said a majority of the problem stems from underage drinking because young people have a higher probability of causing harm when driving drunk.

Whatever the age of the drivers, Dinse said, officers are keeping their eyes open and are maintaining a policy of zero tolerance for drunken driving.

"If you choose to drink, don't drive," he said.

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E-mail: wleonard@desnews.com