Cambridge Police Department Launches Intensive Crackdown on Impaired Driving

The Cambridge Police Department today announced it will join over 148 other law enforcement agencies statewide in support of an intensive crackdown on impaired driving today through September 1 as part of the national Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over mobilization, funded by a federal grant administered through the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security’s Highway Safety Division (EOPSS-HSD).  

Impaired driving is one of America’s most often committed and deadliest crimes.  The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that in 2012 in Massachusetts, 123 people were killed in crashes that involved drivers with a blood alcohol content level of .08 or higher.

NHTSA also reports that on average, there is one alcohol impaired driving fatality every 51 minutes across America.  The number of drivers operating under the influence increases during holiday weekends, especially during summer holidays, with one alcohol impaired driving fatality every 34 minutes during Labor Day weekend.

“Because we’re committed to safety on our roadways, we are intensifying enforcement during this important initiative.  Twice as many alcohol-impaired crashes occur over the weekend and four times as many occur at night, so we will be aggressively vigilant during these high-risk times when impaired drivers are most likely to be on our roads,” said Cambridge Police Commissioner Robert C. Haas.

According to the Registry of Motor Vehicles, violators often face jail time, lose their driver’s licenses, and are sentenced to use ignition interlocks.  Their insurance rates go up.  Other financial hits include attorney fees, court costs, lost time at work, and the potential loss of job or job prospects.  All told, a first offense can easily cost thousands of dollars.  Driving impaired is simply not worth the consequences.  Remember, Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over.

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The Cambridge Police Department is committed to the enforcement of laws and preservation of order that protect the rights and property of every person within the City of Cambridge. Our mission is to provide the highest quality of police service and to impact crime, and its associated elements, through the utilization of new and proven crime prevention strategies and problem-solving partnerships with our community.  For more information, follow @CambridgePolice on Twitter, or access the department’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/CambridgePolice.