December 10, 2019 3:45 a.m.
Roseburg Police will be conducting additional DUII enforcement patrols during the holiday season.
Sergeant Jeff Eichenbusch said those will take place between December 13th and January 2nd. He said law enforcement is encouraging residents to “drive merry, bright and sober this holiday season”.
RPD is teaming up with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to remind all motorists about the danger of drinking and driving. Eichenbusch said its important that people plan a sober ride home before they head out to enjoy holiday festivities and prior to leaving for a seasonal travel destination.
According to the NHTSA, over 37,000 people were killed in motor vehicle crashes in 2017. 29% of those fatalities occurred in crashes in which a driver had a blood alcohol concentration over the legal limit of .08. In fact, 885 people lost their lives in traffic crashes involving a drunk driver during December 2017 alone. Eichenbusch said the holidays prove to be extra dangerous to drivers, as more people are out on the roads.
Eichenbusch said drunk driving is not the only risk on the road. Drug-impaired driving is also an increasing problem.
Increased DUII patrols in Roseburg are made possible through a grant obtained by the Oregon Department of Transportation and Oregon Impact.