MISSOURI STATE HIGHWAY PATROL
a division of the
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY

Troop A - 504 SE Blue Parkway - Lee's Summit, MO 64063


NEWS RELEASE

For further information please contact: Sgt. Bill Lowe
(816) 622-0800 ext. 273
A2010-77
December 2, 2010

EMPHASIS: Troopers Cracking Down On Impaired Drivers


Captain Robert L. Powell, commanding officer Troop A, Lee’s Summit, announced today Troop A has received a grant from the Missouri Department of Transportation's Highway Safety Division for participation in the "You Drink & Drive, You Lose" campaign. Enforcement efforts will be increased December 6-12, 2010, to discourage people from driving while impaired this holiday season. The goal of the operation is to reduce fatalities and serious injuries caused by impaired drivers.

Captain Powell stated, "Do not let your life or someone else’s life be ruined by an alcohol-related crash or arrest. Troop A troopers are dedicated to removing intoxicated drivers from Missouri’s highways."

Consider some of the consequences if you are caught driving while intoxicated:
· For the first conviction (or first conviction in over five years), your license will be suspended for 30 days followed by a 60-day suspension if a hardship license is not obtained.
· A second conviction results in a $1,000 fine, a yearlong revocation of your license, and up to a year in jail. You also will be required to install an ignition interlock system on your vehicle, preventing your car from starting when you have alcohol on your breath.
· Third and subsequent convictions can be penalized with up to a $5,000 fine, a 10-year license denial, and/or up to seven years in jail.
· If you cause a fatal crash while intoxicated, you could be charged with involuntary manslaughter, a felony resulting in up to seven years of jail time, a $5,000 fine, or both.

In 2009, 280 people were killed, 1,140 people were seriously injured, and 3,719 people sustained minor injuries in crashes involving an impaired driver. Remember to do your part. If you are going to drink please do not drive. Should you observe a motorists operating a vehicle in an unsafe manner contact the Missouri State Highway Patrol at 1-800-525-5555 or *55 on a cellular phone.

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