“Drinking and Driving”
With all the publicity about extra officers on the road over the holiday season and times as they are I have noticed that the holidays aren’t like “Dodge City on Saturday night” as they once seemed to be. For younger readers that is in comparison to frontier Dodge City in the days of the old west. It’s hard to believe but this New Years will be my 21st as a lawman and I have seen a lot over all of those. Of course, one thing that never changes is drinking during that time. I have seen a big shift in driving drunk toward the use of designated drivers and just getting rides home but certainly there are still many who choose to “chance it”. Many of these get stopped, arrested and go through the enormous expense that follows a DUI arrest.
I thought I would talk about that a little. If you or someone you know plans to “whoop it up” this New Year’s Eve or anytime after please keep the following in mind yourself or do the right thing and encourage friends to use a “DD” (designated driver) or get a ride to and from wherever the drinking is happening. I list a few reasons below to fear a DUI arrest or worse.
- 1. The arrest. Handcuffing, search, vehicle impoundment, at least one night in jail, humiliation etc.
- 2. Charges, insurance rates skyrocket or they cancel you.
- 3. Enormous attorney fees.
- 4. Possible loss of your job, drivers license etc.
- 5. Many other factors too numerous to list.
Despite some false beliefs few officers will arrest drunk passengers if there is a sober driver. When passengers are arrested for “public intoxication” it is usually because they “run their mouth” at the officer who stopped them or others who arrive to assist. Smart people do not do that. When “drunk” in a public place or on any roadway you are not in a power position despite all that liquid courage you have consumed. I once heard a good lawyer tell his client (who was drunk) to “JUST shut the hell up”. I’ll never forget the look on that drunk’s face when his hero and savior said that to him….. In Cimarron County we have seen a remarkable reduction in DUI offenses and crashes the past two or three years although there was one recently. With OHP efforts on patrol and the assistance of the Cimarron County S.O. drunk drivers are getting hard to catch. I will never be so naive as to say there are not DUI drivers out there. There always will be. They are getting hard to catch however and crashes related to DUI are way down. I stop quite a few people for minor traffic offenses who are “DD’s”. They are heroes in my book. If you are good enough to serve as a “DD” I strongly suggest you not drink at all nor allow booze of any sort to be spilled on you. These are good suggestions to be certain you continue on. Also remember that open containers can result in stiff fines. Just make em’ pour them out and dispose of the empty container but not in a car. If stopped as a sober “DD” use the good lawyer’s line above when passengers decide to speak out. If just one person heeds the above advice it was more than worth my efforts in writing this. I hope many more will. All the above is if you are lucky and do not hurt or kill yourself or any of your passengers. Not to mention whomever you may hit. It is rarely another drunk driver but some good, non-drinking people just trying to get from point A to point B. Please, be safe out there…….. Trooper Duane Johnson
