There are a finite number of law enforcement officers, and they can’t be everywhere at once. You can be their eyes and ears, and in doing so, you might be able to save a life, maybe even your own.
North Carolina ranks 10th in the country in terms of population, but it’s seventh in the U.S. when it comes to DWI-related highway deaths, according to Craig Lloyd, executive director of North Carolina Mothers Against Drunk Driving. DWI has caused more deaths in the United States than all wars combined, he said.
“It is the most violent crime committed in North Carolina,” Lloyd said in a meeting last week in Hamlet.
As the Independence Day holiday approaches, you can expect to see more lawmen on the road.
Law enforcement from Richmond County has also been assisting in such efforts in surrounding counties, he said, and law enforcement agencies from other counties have assisted in Richmond County.
Maj. James Clemmons of the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office says law enforcement cannot monitor the situation with DWI alone, he said citizens need to report when people leave a place impaired or are seen driving in an impaired way.
Clemmons says checkpoints had become the number one tool in abating driving while impaired. It was his opinion that drivers remember having gone through a checkpoint for a long time and they have an impact on their driving.
“We take DWI enforcement seriously,” he said. “It has to be done, it needs to be done to make our streets and highways as safe as they can be.”
However, Lloyd said a drunk driver drives drunk an average of 87 times before ever being caught. That’s tossing the dice too many times from where we sit.
So as we prepare for a long weekend, be prepared to call law enforcement if you see an impaired drive. If you’re hosting a party, don’t be afraid to take the keys away from somebody who shouldn’t be behind the wheel. You just might be saving someone’s life. If you want more information, MADD can be reached at (800)248-6233 or at www.madd.org/nc.
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