The Rome Police Department will target impaired drivers during the upcoming wave of Operation Zero Tolerance. The campaign runs from Friday, June 21 until midnight Thursday, July 4, 2019. Officers involved in the operation will be looking for signs of impaired driving and other traffic violations. Motorists who show signs of alcohol and/or drug consumption will be evaluated. Confirmed impaired drivers will be arrested.
Operation Zero Tolerance is Georgia’s high visibility enforcement program that targets impaired drivers through concentrated patrols and sobriety checkpoints. During this year’s enforcement campaign we are partnering with Floyd County Sheriff’s Office and Georgia State Patrol Post #38 to protect everyone from impaired drivers during this busy time of the year. The Georgia campaign is part of a national campaign to reduce fatal accidents/injuries resulting from impaired driving.
DUI is not a victimless offense. DUI victim cases arise when an impaired driver strikes another driver or causes an accident that injures others. DUI victim cases take many forms, and the plaintiff in such a case may be another driver or simply a bystander who suffered injuries due to an impaired driver’s actions. Violators can lose their licenses, time from their jobs, and lose money in high fines and court costs. Violators may face imprisonment for repeat offenses, assault, and vehicular homicide.
On average, more than 500 people are killed in crashes where alcohol, drugs, or a combination of the two were involved. Nationally, fatalities in DUI-related crashes have not significantly improved in recent years after a decade of gradual success. An estimated 258,000 persons were injured in crashes where law enforcement reported that alcohol/drugs were present. That’s an average of one person injured approximately every 2 minutes.
Careful planning for summer activities should be a top priority. If you plan to drive, don’t drink. Choose a designated driver and if you see a suspected impaired driver, notify law enforcement.