Temple Terrace Cops Plan DUI Crackdown

TEMPLE TERRACE, FL — Motorists who travel through Temple Terrace will want to think twice before getting behind the wheel impaired. The city’s police department has announced the impending kickoff of an enhanced DUI enforcement campaign through the holiday season.

“Beginning Dec. 16 and continuing into the New Year, you will see stepped-up DUI enforcement,” promised Capt. Mike Pridemore. “We want to keep our roads safe for holiday travelers, so we will have zero tolerance for drunk driving.”

The enforcement effort is part of the national Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign. The Florida Highway Patrol also announced enhanced enforcement efforts, which began on Wednesday.

There were 35,092 people killed in vehicle crashes on America’s roadways in 2015. About 29 percent of those crashes involved drivers who had blood alcohol levels of .08 or higher, the police department said.

To avoid problems on roads, the police department recommends people take these steps:

• Designate a driver before heading out to holiday parties
• Should a driver become intoxicated, call a taxi, a friend, a family member or use public transportation
• Don’t let people who are intoxicated get behind the wheel
• Report impaired drivers to local law enforcement

As the busy holiday season gets under way, AAA is once again offering rides home for impaired motorists and their vehicles. The Tow To Go program kicks off for the season on Friday, Dec. 23 and runs through 6 a.m. Jan. 2, 2017. For more information about the program, check out this related story.

Image via Shutterstock