Letter to the editor: Stay safe over holiday
To the Editor:
Kansans know how to make the most of the Fourth of July holiday. That's certainly the case in years like this when the Fourth falls on a Friday to create a natural three-day weekend. At the Kansas Department of Transportation, we know this is one of the busiest times of year on our state's highway and road system.
It's also a time when traditional barbecues and outdoor events have a way of turning deadly when people wash down those hotdogs and burgers with too much alcohol and then get behind the wheel of a motor vehicle. Of the 511 people who lost their lives on Kansas roadways in 2002, 102 died in alcohol-related crashes.
That's why KDOT and local law enforcement agencies are teaming up during the next few weeks to remove impaired drivers from Kansas roads.
From Friday, June 27, through Sunday, July 13, twenty-one sobriety checkpoints funded by KDOT will be conducted throughout the state to ensure people are not driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. In addition, approximately 80 other law enforcement agencies are expected to independently conduct impaired driving enforcement. This concentrated effort is being made in conjunction with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) "You Drink and Drive. You Lose." Campaign.
And impaired drivers will lose. People 21 and older who are caught at a checkpoint with a breath alcohol concentration exceeding .08 will be arrested. They also stand to go to jail.
In Kansas, there's a zero tolerance law for anyone under the age of 21 with a breath alcohol concentration .02 or above. (For most teens, that's less than one beer). Those teens could lose their license and driving privileges.
It's scary to think of the number of drunk drivers who manage to avoid getting caught. A significant number of them paid the price for that behavior with their lives. Even if you don't drink and drive, you're vulnerable to others on the road who do. Ask any family who has lost a loved one to a drunk driver.
We're hoping to lessen those tragedies in the coming weeks. And we're asking your cooperation in that effort. It only takes a few minutes to go through a checkpoint. So be patient and know these checkpoints are saving lives. Even more important, don't drink and drive. Don't let friends or family members do so either.
If you choose to drink alcohol, just don't get behind the wheel after you do. Find a safe way home. You'll be helping yourself — and everyone who shares the road with you — have a happy Fourth of July. That, in itself, is cause for celebration.
Deb Miller
Kansas Secretary of Transportation
