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

Troop B Headquarters - 308 Pine Crest Drive - Macon, MO 63552


NEWS RELEASE

For further information please contact: Sergeant Brent J. Bernhardt
(660) 385-2132
B10123
December 2, 2010

EMPHASIS: Troop B Troopers To Participate In "You Drink & Drive, You Lose" Campaign


Captain James E. Wilt, commanding officer Troop B, Macon, announced today Troop B 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 the fatalities and serious injuries caused by impaired drivers.

Captain Wilt stated, "This is the time of year that we visit and spend precious time with our family and friends. Losing a loved one in a car crash is a tragic event, and no one wants to remember the holiday season as a time when they have lost a loved one due to this preventable tragedy. Therefore, troopers will be concentrating their efforts on removing impaired drivers from Missouri's roadways."

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.
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