Extra DUI patrols will be out statewide beginning Friday and continuing through Sept. 4.
The patrols will be looking for drunk or drugged drivers and will uphold all traffic laws, said Julie Furlong, media relations consultant for the Washington State Traffic Commission.
The reason? A deadly season.
Summer is the deadliest season of the year on state roads, Furlong said.
Each summer, an average of 149 people die in traffic crashes, she said.
During all of 2016, impaired drivers were involved in crashes that resulted in 277 deaths and another 371 serious injuries.
“These crashes are tragic, and adding to the tragedy, they are completely preventable,” Furlong said.
In Clallam and Jefferson counties, the Port Angeles, Port Townsend and Sequim police departments; Clallam and Jefferson County sheriff’s offices; and State Patrol will be canvassing the roadways in search of impaired drivers.
The Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign is designed to encourage all drivers to make the right choice, Furlong said.
“Designate a sober, drug-free driver; take a cab; catch a ride-share — Uber, Lyft; or walk with a friend,” she said.
These extra patrols are part of Target Zero, which aims to end traffic deaths and serious injuries in Washington by 2030.
For more information, visit www.targetzero.com.
