Drivers stopped for traffic violations; officials urge sober driving over the holidays
December 21, 2024 | By Waterbury RoundaboutVermont State Police from the Berlin barracks said they stopped 10 drivers during two special patrols on Thursday, Dec. 19 – one each on Main Street in downtown Waterbury and in Barre City.
The patrols took place between 11 p.m. and 12:30 a.m. in an effort to detect aggressive drivers, impaired drivers, enforce motor vehicle laws and promote safe driving, police said.
Three troopers were involved and police said they issued three tickets and 12 warnings. They did not specify how many or which of the stops were in each location.
Among the actions taken:
One driver was arrested for driving with a criminally suspended license
One driver was issued a ticket for having an open container of alcohol in their vehicle
Two drivers received tickets for driving without a license
State police remind motorists to drive responsibly, have a sober driver at the wheel, leave a safe distance between vehicles, and put phones down while driving.
Drive sober campaign ramps up for the holidays
The patrol and reminders for safe driving come as federal and state highway safety officials remind the public during the holidays to have a plan to drive sober.
State and local law enforcement are promoting an impaired driving awareness campaign through Jan. 1 which will mean an increase in officers working during the holidays to get impaired drivers off the roads.
Alcohol-impaired driving plays a leading role in fatal traffic crashes in the United States, especially during the holidays. According to statistics compiled by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, during the month of December from 2018 to 2022, there were 4,759 people killed nationwide in alcohol-related crashes. In December 2022, 1,062 people died in such crashes.
Males and young people are at greatest risk for injury or fatality. In December 2022, drunk male drivers were involved in fatal crashes at a higher rate (22%) than female drivers (16%), and young drivers ages 21-34 accounted for the highest percentage (25%) of alcohol-impaired drivers involved in fatal traffic crashes, the national statistics show.
In Vermont, from 2019 to 2023, 56% of all fatal vehicle crashes involved an impaired driver (including both drugs and alcohol), and 237 children were involved in crashes with impaired drivers. During that time, 341 serious injuries and 185 fatalities occurred in Vermont from impaired driving. Last year, Vermont logged 42 fatalities involving an impaired driver, according to the Vermont Agency of Transportation’s State Highway Safety Office.
“Impaired driving should never be an option for getting home,” said Major David Petersen of Vermont State Police. “We want our community to have a joy-filled holiday season, but we want everyone to do so responsibly, and that means refraining from drinking and driving. There are many good choices for a safe ride home. Please use them.”
Drivers should secure a designated sober driver before they partake in drugs or alcohol, safety officials said.
“Please plan ahead this holiday season, and be sure to have a sober ride home,” said Andrew Collier, commissioner of the Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles. “Enjoy your holidays and good times with your friends and family, but please do your part to help keep everyone safe on the road.”
Someone unable to drive should seek out a sober driver and Vermonters should help get impaired friends home, officials said. If you think you see an impaired driver on the road, call 911.