As revelers plan their New Year’s festivities, the Pennsylvania State Police are sending a warning to motorists in Bucks County: drive sober or face the consequences.
Following their Christmas holiday enforcement, Troop M, which is responsible for the Newtown area, is gearing up for a robust traffic enforcement initiative starting over the New Year’s weekend.
The enforcement period is set to begin at 12:01 a.m. on Saturday and conclude at 11:59 p.m. on Monday, January 1, 2024.
The enforcement effort aims to curb aggressive driving behaviors that pose a danger to the public, including DUI. Additional targeted offenses include speeding, seat belt violations, and child seat belt infractions.
Troopers will also be vigilant against distracted driving, including texting while driving, careless driving, reckless driving, and other traffic offenses.
A special emphasis will be placed on combating driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, as part of the Selective Traffic Enforcement Against Drunk Drivers (S.T.E.A.D.D.) and the Drug Recognition Expert (D.R.E.) programs. Troopers who are part of the Pennsylvania Aggressive Driving Enforcement Education Program (P.A.D.E.E.P) will take part.
During last year’s New Year’s Holiday Traffic Enforcement program, Troop M troopers investigated 33 crashes and made 30 DUI arrests.
The message from law enforcement is clear: If you’re planning to drink this New Year’s, plan not to drive.
Law enforcement offers the below tips for the holiday weekend:
• Always drive sober. Even one alcoholic beverage could be one too many.
• Plan ahead: Before you have even one drink, designate a sober driver to get you home safely. If you wait until you’ve been drinking to make this decision, you might not make the best one. You have options to get home safely: designate a sober driver or call a taxi or rideshare.
• Getting home safely is always worth it. If it’s your turn to be the designated driver, take your job seriously and don’t drink.
• If you see a drunk driver on the road, contact police.
• If you have a friend who is about to drink and drive, take the keys away and let a sober driver get your friend home safely.
