Lower Merion Police Conducting DUI Patrols Through July 27

LOWER MERION TOWNSHIP, PA—To help keep the roadways safe, officers with the Lower Merion Township Police Department are conducting DUI patrols now through through July 27 as part of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” initiative.

According to Lower Merion police, officers are cracking down on drivers who are operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol or controlled substances.

Roving patrol details are funded by a PennDOT grant and are one of many tools used to increase public safety through increased awareness created by high profile enforcement, police said.

Although drunk-driving related deaths have decreased over the past three decades, they still claim more than 10,000 lives per year, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports.

According to the Pennsylvania DUI Association, in 2018, alcohol-related crashes decreased to 9,811 from 10,346 alcohol-related crashes in 2017. In 2018, alcohol-related fatalities increased to 331 from 293 in 2017.

The NHTSA offers these tips for staying safe on the roadways:

• If you are planning to drink, plan ahead for a sober ride home. It’s not okay to drink and drive, even if you’ve had only one alcoholic beverage.
• If you are using any impairing drugs, including marijuana, don’t drive, arrange for a safe ride home. Impaired driving is illegal, regardless of the source of impairment.
• If you see an impaired driver on the road, safely pull over and call 911.
• Have a friend who is about to drink and drive? Take the keys away and make arrangements to get your friend home safely.