During the upcoming July 4 holiday weekend, the Missouri Highway Patrol encourages motorists to "celebrate your independence by keeping it."
The caution is more than a clever tag line.
Law enforcement officers will be patrolling in full force during the extended weekend. According to Col. J. Bret Johnson, patrol superintendent: "There are no warnings and no excuses; if you drive impaired, you will be arrested."
Being arrested is a serious consequence, but it is only one - and not the most dire - of consequences connected to driving while impaired.
The patrol reminds motorists that "violators risk killing or harming others, facing jail time, losing their driver licenses, paying higher insurance rates and dozens of other unanticipated expenses from attorney fees, paying for fines and court costs, paying for car towing and repairs and losing time at work."
Substance-impaired driving accidents have made the Fourth of July one of the deadliest holidays each year. During last year's holiday, 14 people were killed and 46 seriously injured in 953 crashes. The patrol reported three of the fatalities and eight serious injuries involved a substance-impaired driver.
"One fatality on our highways is too many, and there is no excuse for driving while you are impaired," said Johnson. "Impaired driving is an intentional, conscious decision, and it is preventable - always choose a sober designated driver."
In addition to designating a sober driver, the Missouri Coalition for Roadway Safety recommends:
If you're impaired, use a taxi, call a sober friend or family member or use public transportation so you are sure to get home safely.
If you see an impaired driver on the road, don't hesitate to call 911 or *55.
Always wear your seat belt. It's your best defense in any traffic crash.
There is nothing sensible about driving while impaired; it's dangerous, expensive and punishable by incarceration and fines. That's a lot of heartache for an activity that's easily avoidable.
Avoid emulating the 358 people arrested for impaired driving during last year's July 4 holiday. Sensible decisions, by definition, must be made before, not after, judgment is impaired.