KPD e-News Release: K.P.D. Partners with T.H.S.O. for Independence Day Impaired Driving Campaign

	Kingsport Police Department Dale Phipps, Chief of Police 200 Shelby Street • Kingsport, TN 37660 http://KingsportTN.gov/City-Services/Police-Department• www.KingsportPDBlog.com
NEWS RELEASE
SUBJECT:		K.P.D. Partners with T.H.S.O. for Independence Day Impaired Driving Campaign
DATE:		June 28, 2021

GENERAL NARRATIVE
The Kingsport Police Department, in cooperation with the Tennessee Highway Safety Office (T.H.S.O.), will be participating in the “Booze It & Lose It” campaign from June 25—July 4, 2021 to encompass the Independence Day holiday weekend. During this timeframe, K.P.D. will be placing a heightened emphasis on public education and enforcement activities associated with impaired driving. Planning to drink? Don’t plan to drive! On July 4th, America celebrates the birth of our nation. Sadly, the holiday is often marked as one of the deadliest of the year for drunk-driving crashes. Increased parties usually mean more drunk drivers on the roads, which can turn a celebratory afternoon into a tragedy. The decision to not drink and drive should never be a tough one – don’t make the choice to put yourself and others at risk. In the United States in 2019, 10,142 people were killed in preventable crashes involving drunk drivers (with a blood alcohol concentration of .08 or higher). That same year, 515 people died in motor vehicle collisions over the July 4th holiday period. 38% of those fatalities occurred in drunk-driving crashes. If you’re caught drinking and driving, you could face jail time. Imagine trying to explain that to your friends and family, or your place of employment if you’re unable to report to work. On average, a DUI can set you back $10,000 in attorney’s fees, fines, court costs, lost time at work, higher insurance rates, car towing and repairs, and more. DON’T let one bad decision define you. Never drive impaired! Even if you’ve had only one alcoholic beverage, designate a sober driver or plan to use public transportation or a ride share service to get home safely. Learn more from these resources. TNTRAFFICSAFETY.ORG \| NHTSA.GOV