Patch Media | By Travis Loose, Patch Staff
Washington County Sheriff’s deputies arrested 73 people for impaired driving last month, averaging more than 2 DUII arrests per day.
WASHINGTON COUNTY, OR — Deputies conducting impaired driving patrols in April reportedly arrested 73 drivers in Washington County.
Conducted in partnership with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the Washington County Sheriff’s Office enhanced DUII patrols in April averaged 2.5 arrests each day for driving under the influence of intoxicants.
Of the 73 individual arrests, 56 were for alcohol impairment and 14 were for drug impairment, sheriff’s officials said.
Prior to the enhanced patrol operation, sheriff’s officials shared data explaining why the mission was so important.
According to NHTSA, officials said, nearly 37,500 people were killed in car crashes in 2016, with 28 percent of those deaths occurring in crashes where the blood-alcohol content of at least one of the drivers was over .08 percent, the legal limit in Oregon.
In addition to the deadly danger of driving under the influence, an arrest and possible conviction for DUII is quite costly, officials said. Between attorney’s fees and court costs, imposed fines and increased insurance rates, as well as ancillary expenses accrued by a tow company, for example, a single DUII arrest could cost someone upward of $10,000 or more.
To avoid the fatal risk and expensive consequences of impaired driving, deputies ask revelers to call on friends, family, or transit services to transport them safely back to their homes.
“The options include using public transportation, calling a taxi, or using a rideshare program such as Uber or Lyft,” officials explained. “In addition, NHTSA’s SaferRide Mobile App, available in the app store, is another resource to help fans who have been drinking find a sober ride home — by identifying their location and helping to call a taxi or a friend to pick them up.
“Please do your part in keeping our roadways safe and help keep impaired drivers from getting behind the wheel,” sheriff’s officials continued. “If you plan on drinking or consuming drugs, designate your sober driver. And remember: Friends Don’t Let Friends Drive Drunk.”