The national Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign will end on September first. Alaska State Troopers have been patrolling statewide day and night keeping an eye out for impaired drivers.
Each year the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration sponsors the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over program, which varies state to state. It focuses on reducing the amount of driving under the influence on a state level.
The Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility reports that in 2012 Alaska suffered 15 alcohol-impaired driving fatalities, two of which were under 21. Public Information Officer for the Alaska Department of Public Safety Megan Peters says the department and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration want people to make good choices.
“If you do go out and drink, if you do partake in anything that is going to impair your driving abilities, just don’t drive. It’s mostly education to get up front and remind people ‘Hey we are out there. If you’re going to be out there and driving impaired we could find you and you could be charged with a DUI.’ It’s best to just avoid that scenario altogether by making the good choice of not getting behind the wheel or getting on a four wheeler or any other motorized vehicle if you’ve been partaking in anything that’s going to impair your judgment.”
Peters says it’s important to remember in Alaska, DUIs can be issued to those on vehicles other than cars. Any vehicle meant to transport people, including water and air crafts, on private or public property-- if you’re operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol or drugs, you could be charged with a DUI.
Because of the strictness of the law, there are cases of people getting DUIs in seemingly unusual circumstances.
“In Alaska, people have gotten DUIs for being intoxicated or impaired on lawnmowers. There was one guy up in the Fairbanks area a couple years back, where he was intoxicated and he was operating a driving lawn mower and he was riding it through people’s yards, damaging their property. And believe it or not a slow speed pursuit ensued.”
The punishment for driving under the influence depends on a number of factors including previous convictions, any damage caused and status of driver’s license. Regardless, the state of Alaska imposes a minimum sentence of imprisonment of not less than 72 consecutive hours and a fine of not less than $1500-- and that’s assuming the person being charged has never been convicted.
Peters says although the local police and the Alaska State Troopers are working together to get impaired drivers off the road, they are relying on residents to help report the drivers.
“We can’t be everywhere and we aren’t seeing everything. A big part of us being successful in keeping dangerous drivers off the roadway, is for the public to also help us. If you see somebody operating a vehicle while impaired or driving dangerously, call us, dial 911. Let us know what you’re seeing, give us a description of the vehicle, direction of travel. The more information we have the better our chances of trying to find that dangerous driver and getting them off the road.”
She says people who drive under the influence are putting everyone’s lives at risk.