By Brian McBride
Associate Editor

Thinking about drinking and driving New Year’s Eve? Local law enforcement has a message: Think again.

Police officers, deputies and troopers will be on high alert, looking to jail impaired drivers.

“The primary focus will be to ensure the safety of the motoring public,” Kissimmee Police Department Capt. Warren Shepard said.

Since Thanksgiving, the Kissimmee department has added additional traffic units in the east and west sector to specifically check for drunk and careless drivers on some of the city’s main arteries, such as Vine Street and John Young Parkway, Shepard said.

Shepard advised those who plan to be out drinking to have a designated driver or make other arrangements to avoid getting behind the wheel. And those who don’t?

“I would say to think twice about it,” Shepard said. “We will be looking for them.”

The Osceola County Sheriff’s Office will be conducting a holiday enforcement campaign through Saturday with normal patrols and specialty units canvassing the county. They will be on the lookout primarily for impaired drivers but also for aggressive and reckless drivers and other traffic violations, Sheriff Bob Hansell said.

“The Sheriff’s Office takes an aggressive approach to traffic enforcement to ensure our roadways are safe from impaired drivers,” Hansell stressed.

Deputies have already made a recent impact. From a traffic enforcement operation conducted from Nov. 28 to Dec. 11, results included: safety belt citations (332), suspended licenses (118), DUI arrests (23), uninsured motorists (49), felony arrests (67), speeding citations (756), child safety citations (8), reckless driving  (2), recovered stolen vehicles (15), drug arrests (29), fugitives apprehended (123), and other arrests (91).

Gov. Charlie Crist recently proclaimed December as National Drunk and Drugged Driving Prevention Month. As part of Florida’s focus on safe highway travel during the holiday season, the Florida Highway Patrol will join thousands of other law enforcement and highway safety agencies across the nation in Drunk Driving. Over the Limit. Under Arrest., a nationwide campaign targeting impaired driving through Jan. 3.

Impaired driving is one of the deadliest crimes, especially during the holiday period, patrol officials said. During the 2009 New Year’s Day holiday travel period, more than 56 percent of the traffic fatalities in Florida was alcohol-related.

Patrol officials said they would use zero tolerance enforcement strategies to target impaired drivers, as well as those who violate other traffic laws that put themselves and other motorists at risk.

“All too often innocent, law-abiding people suffer tragic consequences due to this careless disregard for human life,” Col. John Czernis, patrol director, said. “We are intensifying enforcement during the holidays and we will be especially vigilant during high-risk, night-time hours when impaired drivers are most likely to be on our roads.”

While drunk drivers cannot only injure or kill another motorist, as well as themselves, Shepard noted that the financial penalty of being arrested also can be severe.

According to state laws, for a first conviction, drivers arrested for being impaired can pay up to $1,000. With blood/breath alcohol level of .15 or higher or a minor in the vehicle, it can be as much as $2,000. The legal limit is .08. Those arrested also can serve up to six months in jail; nine months with a breath-alcohol level of .15 or higher or with a minor in the car.

Any person who causes property damage or personal injury to another while driving under the influence and is found guilty of the first-degree misdemeanor can either pay a $1,000 fine or spend a year in jail.

Drivers convicted of DUI/ manslaughter, which is a second-degree felony, can pay up to a $10,000 fine and/or spend 15 years in prison.

And those convicted of DUI manslaughter/leaving the scene, a first-degree felony, could pay up to $10,000 and/or 30 years imprisonment.

To report suspected drunk drivers to law enforcement, dial *FHP (*347) on a cell phone to contact the Florida Highway Patrol.

AAA and Budweiser offer a service called Tow to Go that provides private party-goers and licensed establishments a way to get people home safely. Adults in need of a ride can call 1-800-AAA-HELP. AAA will dispatch a tow truck and will take both the driver and the vehicle home, free. The service is available throughout Florida to both AAA members and non-members.