Local and state law enforcement agencies will be on heightened status during two key sobriety awareness periods in March and April as the annual St. Patrick's Day observance approaches this week, and high school and college students begin spring vacations in mid-April.
Hope Police Department Lieutenant Kim Tomlin said Thursday that the HPD will participate with the Arkansas State Police in sobriety checkpoint, saturation patrol and stepped-up enforcement efforts during those two periods.
Tomlin said HPD will emphasize enforcement of Arkansas' Underage DUI Law, which makes driving illegal for anyone under age 21 who has a blood alcohol concentration of .02 or more.
“For a young driver, this means one drink is all it takes to be impaired,” Tomlin said. “Impaired driving is not just another traffic offense; it is a serious crime that often causes needless deaths and injuries.”
There will be no tolerance of violations, she said.
“If you are over the limit, we will arrest you and prosecute you,” Tomlin said. “No exceptions. No excuses.”
She said the Arkansas Department of Education and Hope Public Schools are cooperating in making the message clear with posters in schools, public address announcements during the day, and other efforts.
“This message is especially important at this time of the year when many more young people are on the road for spring breaks and end-of-school activities such as proms and graduations,” Tomlin said.
She recommended that parents consult www.StopImpairedDriving.org or contact the Arkansas Highway Safety Office at 501-618-8136 for additional information.
ASP Director Colonel Winford E. Phillips said the state police will concentrate upon under age drinking and driving, but will troopers will be out in force to stop all drunk drivers.
“We want to send a strong message to all teens that underage drinking is against the law, and there is a zero tolerance policy in effect when it comes to drinking and driving in Arkansas,” Col. Phillips said in an ASP statement.
He said motor vehicle accidents remain the number one killer of teenagers in America, with almost one-third of all fatality accidents involving alcohol, particularly among drivers ages 15-20 years old.
“As a law enforcement officers, there is no greater tragedy we face than dealing with the aftermath of underage drinking and the toll it takes on families, friends and the community,” Phillips said.
ASP will emphasize its presence during the two key periods through in-school and public media campaigns designed to promote awareness of the “Drunk Driving: Underage Drinking. Zero Tolerance” program
