KING COUNTY, WASHINGTON - The Fourth of July is the most dangerous holiday for people traveling by motor vehicle. This weekend communities throughout King County will have extra police officers working the roads looking for dangerous drivers, particularly people who drink and drive.
“The Fourth of July should be a day of national unity and pride, a time for all of us to gather and honor the beliefs that formed our United States,” said King County Executive Ron Sims. “By driving cautiously and only when sober, you can do your part to make our nation’s birthday a safe holiday.”
From 1998 to 2003, 52 people in Washington died in crashes during Fourth of July. Almost half of these people died in crashes involving drinking drivers.
“Drinking and driving have no place in our society,” said Dorothy Teeter, Interim Director and Health Officer for Public Health - Seattle & King County. “If you drink during the holiday, leave your vehicle at home. Ride with a sober friend, take a taxi, or use public transportation to get around.”
The extra traffic patrols are coordinated by Public Health - Seattle & King County and the King County Traffic Safety Coalition.
Alcohol hinders judgment, vision, and reaction time, the three key skills needed for safe driving. People should have a plan for a safe ride to and from parties and bars before they begin drinking.
For the five-year period of 2000 to 2004, law enforcement patrols in King County arrested nearly 44,000 drivers for driving under the influence (DUI). The average “breath alcohol content” (BAC) for these drivers was .137, far above the legal BAC limit of .08.
“Telling a family member that their loved one was killed in a senseless crash is one of the most painful tasks in law enforcement,” said King County Sheriff Sue Rahr. “We are determined to find and arrest anyone who drinks and drives in King County.”
Officers from Auburn, Black Diamond, Enumclaw, Federal Way, Kent, Maple Valley, Muckleshoot, Normandy Park, Sammamish, Seattle, Sea-Tac, Shoreline, and Tukwila will have extra patrols out over the holiday weekend. The Washington Liquor Control Board, the Washington State Patrol, and the Renton Police Department will also have officers out.
Members of the Eastside DUI Task Force have also organized extra Independence Day patrols. The Eastside DUI Task Force includes the police departments of Bellevue, Bothell, Kirkland, Mercer Island, Issaquah, Redmond, Medina, and Snoqualmie.
King County Traffic Safety Coalition
