North Reading Police Department Urges Residents to Celebrate the End of Summer Safely

For Immediate Release

Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2015

Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: john@jgpr.net

Contact: Jessica Sacco
Email: jessica@jgpr.net
Phone: 978-769-5193

North Reading Police Department Urges Residents to Celebrate the End of Summer Safely

Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over

NORTH READING — As the summer winds down, the North Reading Police Department will be out in force looking for impaired drivers.  From August 14 to September 7, the North Reading Police Department will be teaming up with Massachusetts State Police and more than 191 eligible local police departments across the state to curb impaired driving and save lives.  The 25-day, high-visibility campaign, Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over, is funded by a federal grant administered through the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security’s Highway Safety Division (EOPSS/HSD).

In 2013, there were 10,076 people killed across the country in drunk-driving crashes, and 118 of those people were killed on Massachusetts roadways.  As people celebrate the final days of summer, Labor Day weekend is a dangerous time to be on the roads.  Thirty eight percent of national crash fatalities on Labor Day weekend in 2013 involved drunk drivers with blood alcohol concentrations [BACs] of .08 or higher, amounting to 161 lives lost across the country.  There were four fatalities that same weekend in Massachusetts.

“Too many people are still making the wrong decision when it comes to drinking and then getting behind the wheel of a motor vehicle. The statistics don’t lie: drinking and driving causes senseless deaths each and every year – deaths that are always preventable. Don’t make excuses, make plans. Make the right call if you are impaired: don’t drink and drive,” said Chief Michael Murphy.

In every state, it’s illegal to drive with a BAC of .08 or higher.  Chief Murphy wants to remind North Reading drivers that driving sober is not a recommendation – it’s the law.  During the upcoming enforcement period, there will be a special emphasis on drunk-driving enforcement.  Local drivers should expect to see more patrol vehicle.

Chief Murphy emphasized the preventable nature of drunk driving: “All it takes is a little planning ahead.  Designate a sober driver or call a cab.  Don’t drink and drive.”  The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) new SaferRide mobile app (free from the iTunes store and Google Play) can identify a user’s location and help call a friend for a ride.  The app also compiles nearby taxi company phone numbers and reviews and makes it simple to call for a cab.

The North Reading Police Department also reminds motorists that wearing a safety belt is your best defense against drunk and aggressive drivers and your own mistakes.

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