KING COUNTY, WASHINGTON - This Labor Day weekend 33 million people in the United States will travel for one last summer trip. In our region, joining them on this journey will be extra police patrols.
Public Health - Seattle & King County and the King County Traffic Safety Coalition are announcing organized patrols across King County to make driving safer this weekend by removing impaired and other dangerous drivers from local streets, roads, highways and interstates. Traffic safety patrols should also be expected throughout Puget Sound and Washington State over the weekend as part of a statewide effort to eliminate traffic fatalities.
“Labor Day is the final chance for many of our residents to relax and enjoy a long summer weekend,” said King County Executive Ron Sims. “Do your part to make this a carefree weekend for everyone by driving safely and sober.”
“Let’s make the smart choices this weekend that will prevent automobile crashes and tragedies in our community,” said Carolyn Edmonds, King County Councilmember and Chair of the Board of Health.
Summer is the deadliest season for Washington drivers. Furthermore, Labor Day is one of the deadliest holidays of the year for traffic fatalities. From 1991 to 2002, the Washington State Traffic Safety Commission reported that 110 people were killed in the state over the Labor Day holiday. Only the Fourth of July has more traffic fatalities per 24-hour period. Last year statewide seven people were killed during the Labor Day holiday.
The Washington State Traffic Safety Commission advises five simple actions motorists can take to stay safe over the Labor Day holiday:
- Find a sober, designated driver before starting to drink
- Take a cab or bus after drinking
- Spend the night instead of driving home after a house party
- Always wear a seatbelt
- Report drunk drivers to law enforcement by calling 911
Last year during the Labor Day holiday, traffic safety emphasis patrols in King County reported arresting 22 drivers for DUI and stopping 148 dangerous drivers. For all of 2003, these extra King County traffic safety patrols stopped over 3,000 motorists driving dangerously and arrested 1,096 intoxicated drivers.
“Traffic crashes kill or maim hundreds of people every single year in King County,” said Dr. Alonzo Plough, Director of Public Health - Seattle & King County. “Yet crashes are so simple to prevent. If every motorist drove sober, wore seatbelts and followed basic traffic laws, we could eliminate crashes as a leading cause of death in our county.”
“The King County Sheriff’s Office takes drinking and driving very seriously.
I encourage everyone to drive safely and responsibly,” said King County Sheriff Dave Reichert. “Troopers, officers and deputies on patrol this weekend will be keeping watch for impaired drivers in an effort to help keep our communities safe.”
The following agencies will have extra officers out over the holiday weekend:
- Auburn Police Department
- Bellevue Police Department
- Burien Police Department
- Kent Police Department
- Kirkland Police Department
- Renton Police Department
- Seattle Police Department
- Shoreline Police Department
- Snoqualmie Police Department
- Washington State Patrol
- Woodinville Police Department
Public Health- Seattle & King County chairs and staffs the King County Traffic Safety Coalition. Members include representatives from a variety of King County law enforcement agencies, the Washington State Liquor Control Board, alcohol and drug prevention organizations, DUI victims’ groups, traffic engineers, non-profit organizations, and others. The Washington State Traffic Safety Commission provides funding for the Coalition and other King County traffic safety activities.
