With people in the community scheduling New Year’s Eve celebrations, patrol officers already have their plans. They will be looking for at-risk drivers.
“We are not trying to discourage people from having a good time,” said McMinnville Police Department Lt. Mark Mara. “Have a good time, but line up a designated driver if those plans include alcohol and travel.”
McMinnville Police Department will be coordinating efforts with Warren County Sheriff’s Department and Tennessee Highway Patrol with saturation patrols from Dec. 30 through Jan. 1.
Law enforcement will be looking for “at-risk drivers” who exhibit signs they may be driving under the influence (DUI). Indications of driving while intoxicated include weaving, swerving, following too closely, drifting, braking erratically, slow response to traffic signals, and accelerating or decelerating rapidly.
It’s all hands on deck this holiday season for patrol officers as Mara says their plans will be to protect the community from intoxicated drivers.
“We have to work on New Years,” he said. “While individuals in the community are planning their celebrations, we will be on the streets making sure everyone gets where they are going safely. We will be everywhere.”
Highly motivated and trained officers comprise the team conducting saturation patrols. The officers have been trained to administer standardized field sobriety tests to determine if a driver is impaired.
Saturation patrols are designed to make highways safer and to increase public awareness of the hazards of drinking and driving. By removing intoxicated drivers from the roadways we can decrease the potential for motor vehicle accidents, says Mara.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, almost 30 people in the United States die in motor vehicle crashes that involve an alcohol-impaired driver each day. It amounts to one death every 48 minutes.
McMinnville Police Department’s saturation operation is called “Be A Survivor: Get A Designated Driver” and receives funding from the Tennessee Governors Highway Safety Office to help pay the expense of saturation patrols.
McMinnville Police Department held saturation patrols during every major holiday last year, including Super Bowl Sunday.
“During our saturation efforts, we only had one accident involving DUI,” said Mara.
Annually, the state office reviews the efforts of local agencies and the effectiveness those endeavors have in reducing the number of DUI arrests and alcohol-related accidents.
This month, McMinnville Police Department was presented a plaque from the Tennessee Governors Highway Safety Office in recognition of impaired driving enforcement and dedication and commitment to highway safety.
In order to fulfill grant obligations, the department must notify the public of upcoming saturation patrols. The idea behind advance notice is to prevent drunk drivers from ever getting behind the wheel as opposed to catching them on the road.