APD’s ‘Booze It & Lose It’ Campaign Underway

The Asheville Police Department, in conjunction with agencies statewide, is participating in the Governor’s Highway Safety Program’s “Booze It & Lose It” campaign during the holidays.

“Booze It & Lose It” will include stepped up patrols with a concentration on impaired drivers.

From December 1, 2007 to January 4, 2008, there were 165 fatal crashes statewide, with 49 of those involving alcohol. During last year’s campaign, law enforcement officers throughout North Carolina made the following charges:

•    DWI offenses – 3,718
•    Total arrests statewide for DWI – 4,367

Some of the penalties for DWI include: 
•    Up to $4,000 in fines, not including attorney fees, alcohol
assessment fees, substance abuse treatment fees, license re-instatement
fees, etc.
•    Automatic administrative revocation of your license for 30 days, then 1 year upon conviction.
•    Insurance increase of up to 400 percent.
•    Zero tolerance for alcohol in drivers under 21 years of age.
The APD’s Traffic Safety Unit’s primary purpose is to make the streets
safer for the motoring public. It provides special functions, accident
investigations, traffic enforcement, and safety programs, and each
officer is trained in the latest, state-of-the-art techniques of
accident investigation.