With summer only days away, many people are out on the roads in force. Summertime is always a period of increased traffic on the highways due to travelers heading to vacation destinations and the influx of newly licensed drivers.
Add into the mix the many occasions for drinking libations at summer celebrations. The barbecues, cook-outs and picnics, boating trips on lakes and rivers, the graduation celebrations and more all create a heady brew of circumstances for drivers to get stopped on suspicion of impaired driving.
Summer safety campaign approaching
Like other states, West Virginia participates in the nationwide safety campaign “Drive Sober of Get Pulled Over.” This high-visibility enforcement campaign puts more officers and troopers on the state’s highways and byways during holidays like the upcoming Fourth of July holiday next month.
The increased patrols increase the likelihood of getting pulled over for drunk driving. Recent statistics indicate that over a five-year span, at least 23% of traffic deaths were attributable to alcohol usage and impaired driving.
What drivers need to know
Drunk driving arrests can complicate lives in ways many motorists have never considered. From the consequences to personal and professional lives to the expense of fines and bail bonds, driving under the influence convictions should be avoided at all costs.
Drivers should do all they can to minimize the chance of impaired driving arrests, including arranging for sober drivers, taking rideshares and refraining from driving if they have consumed alcohol.
Not all arrests lead to convictions
Simply being arrested on suspicion of DUI does not guarantee a conviction in court. By learning more about your rights and responsibilities during traffic stops, you may be able to mitigate the circumstances of your arrest.