Patrol to man sobriety checkpoints

With summer approaching and traffic increasing, the Missouri State Highway Patrol has announced plans to conduct a series of sobriety checkpoints and increased efforts to stop motorists from drinking and driving in the 13 counties of Troop E.

The highway patrol typically begins its effort at controlling alcohol-related incidents around Memorial Day, said Troop E public information officer Sgt. Larry Plunkett. On peak travel days and on holiday weekends, officers will be on the lookout for speeding, vehicles that are following too closely and seat-belt use. The effort will continue throughout the rest of the year.

Plunkett said the patrol will focus on areas where there have been a large number of DWI arrests and alcohol-related traffic accidents in Butler and Cape Girardeau counties. He said the patrol plans to set up random sobriety checkpoints as well as increase its presence on the road.

Capt. George Ridens said the state continues to see an increasing number of alcohol-related traffic accidents. Troop E saw a record of 122 accidents in 2003, he said. Statewide, nearly 300 people are killed and more than 5,000 are injured each year in alcohol-related accidents.

Still, Plunkett said, the patrol's efforts in cracking down on drunken driving have paid off. Twenty-five percent of the state's fatalities are alcohol-related, he said, compared to 40 percent across the country.

"It's still too high, but we feel it's better than the national average," he said.

Plunkett said that the patrol is able to afford the extra effort because of some federal funding that will help pay for overtime.

Ridens said he encourages motorists to include in their travel plans what they will do if they find they have had too much to drink. He suggests they spend the night where they drink alcohol, call a taxi or use a designated driver.

He also advised that anyone who sees hazardous driving or thinks they may be following an impaired driver should call the patrol immediately. The emergency numbers are *55 for cell phone users and toll-free at (800) 525-5555.

lredeffer@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 160