New Hampshire State Police To Hold Fourth Of July Weekend Impaired Driving Enforcement Effort

CONCORD, NH — State officials, along with their local and regional law enforcement partners, will be holding an impaired driving enforcement effort during the long Fourth of July weekend.

From Thursday to Sunday, state troopers, local police, and county sheriff’s deputies who partner with the New Hampshire Office of Highway Safety will increase patrols around the Granite State to deter and detect impaired drivers. Officials said on Wednesday that, historically, the Fourth of July and Independence Day weekends have been the deadliest periods on the nation’s roads. Two years ago, as an example, more than 600 people died in crashes during the holiday. Of those, 38 percent were drunk driving crashes. Another 27 percent of the drunk driving crashes involved a motorcyclist with a blood alcohol concentration level of 0.15 or more.

“The Fourth of July should be a time of celebration, not tragedy,” New Hampshire Department of Safety Assistant Commissioner Eddie Edwards said. “Driving a vehicle or operating a boat while impaired puts everyone at risk. We encourage all residents and visitors to make the responsible choice this weekend: plan a safe and sober ride wherever you’re going.”

In New Hampshire in 2023, drug and/or alcohol impairment was a factor in more than 27 percent of all fatal crashes. So far this year, 55 have died in 54 crashes in the state.

Edwards said the department appreciated the work of agencies and their members who are working to protect lives by keeping dangerous drivers off the roads.

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