Johnson City Police Department increases DUI enforcement for Fourth of July Holiday
As Johnson City residents plan to celebrate July 4th, the Johnson City Police Department (JCPD) wants to remind everyone about the dangers of impaired driving. JCPD is partnering with the Tennessee Highway Safety Office (THSO) to place additional officers on the lookout for impaired drivers as part of the “Booze It and Lose It” campaign this Fourth of July weekend.
Statistics indicate that the Fourth of July holiday is one of the most deadly on the nation’s roadways. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), during the 2015 to 2019 Fourth of July holiday periods there were 1,339 traffic crash deaths with 38% of those crashes involving drivers who had been drinking.
Working together, we can reduce crashes, injuries, and deaths on Johnson City roadways. JCPD and THSO want to remind all drivers that impaired driving is not only illegal, it is a matter of life and death. When celebrating the Fourth of July holiday the decision to not drink and drive should never be a tough one.
- Buzzed driving is drunk driving. It is never okay to drink and drive. Designate a sober driver or plan a ride service to get home safely.
- Don’t let friends drive home drunk.
- If you see an impaired driver on the road, call 911.
The consequences of a single DUI conviction for a first-time offender in the state of Tennessee may include fines, court costs, legal fees, jail time, mandatory drug and alcohol treatment, and/or the installation of an ignition interlock device in their vehicle.
The THSO provides grant funding to support JCPD’s increased enforcement efforts during the “Booze It and Lose It” campaign. For more information about the THSO, please visit www.tntrafficsafety.org.
###