Aggressive, Drunk Driving Targeted Over Holidays in Forest Hills

The office parties have started, as have gatherings of friends and relatives.

As Christmas and New Year's Day approach, Forest Hills police will be putting extra patrols on the street to be on the lookout for aggressive drivers or those driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

"The holiday parties do tend to start early," Forest Hills police Chief Chuck Williams said. "We don't want to ruin anyone's good time."

But with the good times comes alcohol. And that can lead to the deaths of innocent people at the hands of a drunk driver.

According to the edgarsnyder.com website, there were 1,388 pre-Christmas accidents in Pennsylvania in 2011, resulting in 14 fatalities. On Christmas Day alone, there were 825 accidents and seven fatalities.

For New Year's 2011, there were 486 accidents with eight fatalities and post-New Year's, there were 1,750 accidents and five fatalities.

Of those holiday fatalities, 17 were caused by alcohol-related accidents.

"Weigh in on the side of safety for everyone involved," Williams said. "Use good judgment."

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