Ravenna – Portage County Safe Communities is increasing public awareness of the upcoming national aggressive enforcement “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” Campaign. The high visibility enforcement runs from August 16 through September 4, 2017. During this period, law enforcement will have zero tolerance for drunk driving. Increased state and national messages about the dangers of drunk driving, increased local awareness of driving sober, and more officers on the road aim to drastically reduce drunk driving – making roadways safer for everyone.
Portage County Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over Kickoff is Monday, August 14 at UH Portage Medical Center, Medical Arts Building Room #150 from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. The Kickoff is designed to “rally” law enforcement, safety advocates, and public officials to support the campaign and recognize the collaborative efforts of Portage County agencies to reduce preventable crashes, injuries, and deaths.
The Kickoff is open to the public. Speakers will include Lt. Antonio Matos, Ravenna Post Commander of the Ohio State Highway Patrol, Renee Klaric, UH Portage Medical Center, Prosecutor Victor Vigluicci, and County Commissioner Vicki Kline.
The Kickoff will also include appreciation to Ganley Chrysler, Classic Auto, and Sarchione Chevrolet for distributing “Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving – Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over materials, recognition of officers receiving last year’s awards from MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) and a tribute to the eleven local families who participate in the annual None 4 Under 21 and Choices Beyond “Walk of Remembrance,” who have lost family members in alcohol or drug-related traffic crashes.
Impaired driving is not worth the consequences. Plan ahead: designate a sober driver before drinking ever begins, call for a ride, use public transportation, or download NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) SaferRide mobile app on Google Play for Android devices, and Apple’s iTunes Store for IOS devices. NHTSA’s SaferRide app will help keep drunk drivers off our roads by allowing users to identify their location and call a taxi or friend to get them home safely. The app has a very streamlined function, and only has three large buttons on the home screen: “Get Taxi,” “Call Friend,” and “Where Am I?” SaferRide lets you: Choose from a list of available taxi services in your area, and call with the tap of a button – Call a pre-programmed contact – or call up a map of your current location.
“Safety is a shared responsibility – taking someone’s keys, arranging for a safe ride home for them, or calling #677 to report an impaired driver or rider could save a life. Drunk or drugged driving is not acceptable – and crashes involving alcohol or drugs are preventable. Every time someone drives or rides impaired, they are creating unnecessary risks for all of us,” said Lynette Blasiman, Project Director of Portage County Safe Communities.
Safe Communities is a program of Portage County Health District.
