Thanksgiving week is among the most heavily traveled on American roadways. It’s exactly the reason the Charles County Sheriff’s Office is focusing on keeping travelers safe. “We’re going to look for distracted drivers, aggressive drivers and impaired drivers,” said Sheriff Rex W. Coffey. A sobriety checkpoint will be conducted on Wednesday, Nov. 24 at an undisclosed location in Charles County.
Drunk driving is one of America’s deadliest crimes. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), in 2009, 10,839 people died in highway crashes involving a driver with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 or higher. “We have a zero-tolerance policy regarding impaired drivers,” said Sheriff Coffey.
Distracted driving is another area of concern, especially among teens. A recent survey conducted by the NHTSA showed almost nine in 10 teens (86%) have driven while distracted, despite knowing the dangers. “By now, most people know our Agency initiated a safe driving campaign three years ago in response to an alarming number of fatal motor vehicle crashes involving teens, said Sheriff Coffey. “Since we stared that campaign, the number of teen-related crashes in Charles County has significantly decreased. We plan to continue to focus our efforts in that area,” said Sheriff Coffey.
“Traffic safety is a top priority and so we’re going to do what we can to continue to keep our roadways safe, said Sheriff Coffey. For more information about holiday safety, visit www.ccso.us.