NC State Highway Patrol arrests nearly 600 drivers for drunk driving during the July 4th Weekend

July 4th is undoubtedly a patriotic holiday for every American, as the celebration of independence are found all over the state. With all these celebrations, it is important for a person to remember to drink responsibly, especially if they intent to get behind the wheel.

As a way to prevent fatal accidents on the road, state and local law enforcement officers in North Carolina doubled their efforts in arresting impaired drivers DWI detection campaigns. In fact, North Carolina State Highway Patrol Troopers were able to arrest around 600 drivers statewide during the three-day holiday weekend. These numbers make it all the more important to seek help from a DWI lawyer if arrested for driving while impaired.

588 Citations

According to a press release from the North Carolina Wildlife Resource Commission, a joint operation with NC State Highway Patrol and local police departments called “On the Road, On the Water, Don’t Drink and Drive” resulted in over 588 citations for driving while impaired, 1,562 seatbelt violations, and even 29 charges of boating under the influence. Overall, the operation was able to yield over 13,000 citations not only on roads, but also on waterways during the July 4th weekend.

Over 1,700 Arrests

On the other hand, the annual Governor’s Highway Safety Program’s Booze it & Lose It – Operation Firecracker was able to yield 1,729 arrests of driving impaired drivers. Conducted from June 24 to July 4, more than 1,600 of these arrests were alcohol-related, while 125 of those cases were drug related.

Furthermore, law enforcement agencies across North Carolina were able to issue 63,218 traffic and criminal violations during the 4,635 sobriety-checking stations and saturation patrols during the enforcement period.

“Vision Zero” Campaign

Reacting on these numbers, Don Nail, director of the GHSP, expressed his approval of this work. “I am thankful for the work North Carolina’s law enforcement officers did during the holiday to keep those travelling the state’s roadways safe and to keep the Fourth of July a time for celebration of our nation’s birth,” Nail said.

He further reiterated the state’s aim of zero fatalities on the road. “It is the goal of Gov. McCrory’s Vision Zero campaign to reach zero fatalities on our roads in North Carolina and the Booze It & Lose It campaign helps complement this goal.”

While driving after drinking is not a good idea, should you find yourself in legal trouble for having too many drinks, it’s best to work with a Raleigh DWI attorney with Kurtz & Blum, PLLC to thoroughly examine the circumstances of your case and help you achieve the best possible outcome.