Getting Your Fourth of July Drink On, Sarasota? Don’t Drive!

Reported and written by Patch Associate Regional Editor Sherri Lonon.

Knocking back a beer or two in celebration of America’s birthday is more than OK for those 21 and older. Knocking back a few before getting behind the wheel, however, is not and it could end up costing you in a very big way.

The Florida Highway Patrol plans to be out in force throughout the long weekend, July 4-7, working to make sure Sarasota and Tampa Bay streets stay safe. Of particular concern are impaired drivers who could turn another person’s happy Fourth of July into a tragedy, says Sgt. Steve Gaskins.

Gaskins says a third of all fatal crashes in Florida involve impairment, either by drugs or alcohol. He also points to a statistic that estimates “someone is killed in a DUI crash every 53 minutes” as a driving force behind the highway patrol’s planned holiday crackdown on those who aren’t wise enough to designate a driver.

The patrol plans to be “out in full force” throughout the holiday weekend.

Those who do get caught drinking and driving could find themselves facing a heap of legal troubles, Gaskins adds.

“DUI arrests are costly, with legal bills often exceeding $5K to $10K, and often accompanied by loss of license or employment,” he warns.

Last year’s Fourth of July DUI crackdown netted 27 arrests for the highway patrol’s Troop C, which covers most of the Tampa Bay area, Gaskins said. That number doesn’t include arrests made by other local law enforcement agencies and in other parts of the state.

It’s a Preventable Crime

Gaskins says there are steps people can take to avoid DUI arrests and the potential for crashes and injury or death.

He recommends:

• Planning ahead
• Designating a driver
• Taking action to prevent others around you from driving when you know they’re impaired

What should you do if you spot an impaired driver out on the roads?

Gaskins offers this advice:

• Call 911 or *FHP from a mobile phone
• Stay out of the impaired driver’s way
• Be ready to describe the vehicle to law enforcement and provide an accurate location and direction the vehicle is traveling in

Do you designate a driver? Tell us by commenting below!