Drive safely this holiday

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September 2, 2010

Anonymous The Kokomo Tribune Thu Sep 02, 2010, 03:54 PM EDT

— You’ll have company on Indiana highways and byways during this last three-day holiday of summer. More than 250 state and local law enforcement agencies will be patrolling streets and roads, Lt. Bob Burke, commander of the Indiana State Police Pendleton post, said last month.

“While the nation has seen a decline in the number of impaired driving fatalities, far too many motorists continue to lose their lives as a result of impaired drivers,” Burke said. “One life lost is too many, so we’re asking residents to enjoy the end of summer responsibly by designating a sober driver if they plan to consume alcohol.”

AAA estimates 31.4 million Americans will drive at least 50 miles away from home this year to celebrate Labor Day – 10.3 percent more than last year.

In Indiana, drivers can expect:

• Sobriety checkpoints to take drunken drivers off the roads.

• Law enforcement officers watching for unsafe lane changes, vehicles following others too closely and speeding.

• Officers ensuring that all occupants in a vehicle are wearing seat belts.

Before heading out on the road, remember to make sure your tires are properly inflated, and that your wipers and lights operate properly. Also allow for extra time to your destination, and keep a little extra space between you and the vehicle in front of you.

In Indiana, there were 205,451 traffic accidents that resulted in injury or property damage in 2008, the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute reports. In Howard County, there were 2,304 such accidents in 2009 – and seven fatalities.

Don’t be a statistic. Drive safely this holiday. And have a happy Labor Day.

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