With warmer weather often comes an increase in the number of drunk driving cases seen across the country. In response, law enforcement agencies from Utah, Idaho and Nevada have teamed up to enforce drunk driving laws across state boundaries. The so-called borderless enforcement is aimed at preventing drunk drivers from getting behind the wheel.
According to one law enforcement official, “Our goal is to keep people from driving if they shouldn’t be. If getting the message out accomplishes that and we have fewer DUI arrests as a result, all the better.”
Typically, drunk driving and drunk driving arrests rise during the summer months. Law enforcement officers also tend to notice an increase around holidays, including the Fourth of July. As a result, police officers have added patrols during these periods.
The state agencies began working together during the last weekend of June, the weekend immediately before the holiday. Thirteen agencies from the three states have combined efforts, representing a larger scale collaboration than is typically seen. Although thus far unusual, law enforcement officers note that, “The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has been encouraging this concept.”
With Fourth of July celebrations expected to continue into the upcoming weekend, it is important for those enjoying the time off to drive responsibly. Of course, the best approach if you have been drinking is to call a taxi or designate a sober driver. But, for those who have been charged with drunk driving, finding a skilled DUI attorney is the first step in establishing a strong defense.
Source: Standard-Examiner, “Utah, Idaho, Nev. Discuss ‘borderless’ DUI enforcement,” Alison Gene Smith, June 25, 2012.
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