Halloween Campaign

This Halloween, let’s make happy memories, not tragic nightmares. The only thing scarier than zombies and witches loose on the streets is a drunk driver. This year, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is teaming up with the Grand Isle County Sheriff’s Department to help spread the message that Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving. Even one alcoholic beverage could be one too many for some drivers, so if you plan to drive, plan to refrain from alcohol. If you do plan to enjoy some witch’s brew, be sure to arrange a sober ride home in advance. Stay safe on Halloween night, and every night.

Read these scary stats and commit to sober driving.

• According to NHTSA, there were 37,133 people killed in motor vehicle traffic crashes in 2017, and 29 percent (10,874) of those fatalities occurred in a crash in which a driver had a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) over the legal limit of .08.
• During the Halloween night (6 p.m. October 31 to 5:59 a.m. November 1) during the years 2013-2017, there were 158 people killed in drunk-driving crashes.
• During Halloween night from 2013-2017, 42 percent of those killed were in traffic crashes that involved at least one drunk driver.
• During the 2017 Halloween night (6 p.m. October 31 to 5:59 a.m. November 1), there were 11 vehicle occupants and three pedestrians killed in drunk-driving crashes.
• Those under the age of 21 had the highest percentage (45%) of fatalities in drunk-driving crashes on Halloween night in 2017.
• Drug-impaired driving is an increasing problem on our nation’s roads. It is illegal to drive while drug-impaired, period. It’s essential for drivers to understand: If You Feel Different, You Drive Different.

Don’t let plans get away from you — it’s imperative to your safety and the safety of others to plan a responsible ride home from the party. If you leave your house unprepared to get home safely, you may not make the best choices by the end of the night. Here are a few tips to help you prepare for a safe night out.

• Remember that it is never okay to drink and drive. Even if you’ve had only one alcoholic beverage, designate a sober driver or plan to use public transportation or a ride sharing service to get home safely.
• If you see a drunk driver on the road, contact the Grand Isle County Sheriff’s Department.
• Have a friend who is about to drink and drive? Take the keys away and make arrangements to get your friend home safely.

High visibility enforcement has been the key to success in Grand Isle County evident in minimal law enforcement response to serious injury crashes or fatalities.  Please continue to help us prevent senseless tragedies!

Labor Day Campaign

This Labor Day, and Every Day: Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over

The high-visibility national enforcement campaign, Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over, runs from August 16 through September 2, 2019. During this period, local law enforcement will show zero tolerance for impaired driving. Increased State and national messages about the dangers of driving impaired, coupled with enforcement and increased officers on the road, aim to drastically reduce impaired driving on our nation’s roadways.

During the 2019 Labor Day holiday, the Grand Isle County Sheriff’s Department will partner with the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to get drunk drivers off the roads and help save lives.  We will be conducting increased high visibility traffic enforcement to reduce crashes, traffic deaths, injuries, and enforce impaired driving laws to save lives during this campaign.  DUI checkpoints will be conducted throughout this campaign as well as DUI high visibility saturation patrols.

Each year, Americans mark the end of summer with the Labor Day holiday weekend, a time to celebrate the hard work and many accomplishments of our country. Friends and families eagerly await pool parties, backyard barbecues, and other occasions to enjoy the last days of summer sunshine. This is also the time of year when our children typically return to school following their summer vacation. Sadly, the Labor Day holiday has also become one of the deadliest, with impaired drivers endangering themselves and others on their way home from these holiday festivities.

Statistics prove that we have a lot of work to do to put an end to impaired driving. According to NHTSA, 10,874 people were killed in impaired-driving crashes in 2017. On average, 10,000 people were killed each year from 2013 to 2018—one person killed every 48 minutes in 2017. That’s the equivalent of 20 jumbo jets crashing each year, with no survivors.

During the 2017 Labor Day holiday period (6 p.m. September 1 – 5:59 a.m. September 5), there were 376 crash fatalities nationwide.

As of 08/05/2019, 14 people died on Vermont highways compared to 38 deaths at this time last year.  Driver impairment, speed, failure to use safety restraints and distracted driving continue to be the leading causes for these tragedies.

 High visibility enforcement has been the key to success in Grand Isle County evident in minimal law enforcement response to serious injury crashes or fatalities.  Please continue to help us prevent senseless tragedies!

Click It or Ticket 2019

Click It or Ticket Campaign Starts May 20, 2019

with border to border kickoff event

As an integral part of this year’s national Click It or Ticket seat belt campaign, which will take place May 20 through June 2, 2019, the Grand Isle County Sheriff’s Department will be teaming up with law enforcement nationwide for a Border to Border (B2B) kickoff event. The B2B campaign will consist of highly visible seat belt enforcement and providing seat belt fact sheets for drivers on heavily traveled roads within our community.

According to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA), in 2017, there were 10,076 unbuckled passenger vehicle occupants killed in crashes in the United States. In that same year, 55 percent of passenger vehicle occupants killed at night (6 p.m.–5:59 a.m.) were not wearing their seat belts. That’s why one focus of the Click It or Ticket campaign and the B2B kickoff event is nighttime enforcement. Participating law enforcement agencies will be taking a no-excuses approach to seat belt law enforcement, writing citations day and night.

Almost twice as many males were killed in crashes as compared to females, with lower belt use rates, too. Of the males killed in crashes in 2017, more than half (51%) were unrestrained. For females killed in crashes, 39 percent were not buckled up.

If you know a friend or a family member who does not buckle up when they drive, please ask them to consider changing their habits. Help us spread this lifesaving message before one more friend or family member is killed as a result of this senseless inaction. Seat belts save lives, and everyone—front seat and back, child and adult—needs to remember to buckle up—every trip, every time.

The Click It or Ticket campaign focuses on safety education and enforcing motor vehicle laws to save lives. Wearing your seat belt is your best defense against injury or death in the event of a crash.

PLEASE DON’T BECOME A STATISTIC!!!!

Holiday Enforcement Campaign

2018 DRUNK-DRIVING AWARENESS ENFORCEMENT CAMPAIGN
Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over

The holidays are a time for friends, family, and co-workers to come together in celebration. Wherever you are—whether at an office party, a family member’s home, or out at the bar—it is essential that you make the lifesaving choice to drive sober when the party ends. To help spread the message about the dangers of drunk driving, the Grand Isle County Sheriff’s Department is partnering with the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to get drunk drivers off the roads and help save lives. The national high-visibility enforcement campaign, Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over, runs from December 13-31, 2018. During this period, local law enforcement will show zero tolerance for drunk driving, as well as drugged driving, which is on the rise. Increased State and national messages about the dangers of driving impaired, coupled with enforcement and increased officers on the road, aim to drastically reduce drunk driving on our nation’s roadways.

Sadly, the statistics show that we have a lot of work to do to put an end to drunk driving. According to NHTSA, 10,874 people were killed in drunk-driving crashes in 2017, equating to one person killed every 48 minutes. On average, 10,000 people were killed in drunk-driving crashes each year from 2013 to 2017. That’s the equivalent of 20 jumbo jets crashing each year, with no survivors. In December 2017, alone, 885 people lost their lives in traffic crashes involving a drunk driver. Therefore the Grand Isle County Sheriff’s Department is working with NHTSA to remind drivers that drunk driving is not only illegal, it is a matter of life and death. As you head out to enjoy the holiday festivities, remember: Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over.

Drunk driving isn’t the only risk on the road: Drug-impaired driving is also an increasing problem on our nation’s roads. If drivers are impaired by any substance—alcohol or drugs—they should not get behind the wheel of a vehicle. Driving while impaired is illegal, period. The bottom line is this: If You Feel Different, You Drive Different. Drive High, Get a DUI. It’s that simple.

Party with a Plan

First and foremost: Plan ahead. Be honest with yourself: You know whether you’ll attend a party. If you plan to drink, plan for a sober driver to take you home. Is it your turn to be the designated driver? Take that role seriously—your friends are relying on you. Remember that it is never okay to drink and drive. Even if you’ve had only one alcoholic beverage, designate a sober driver or plan to use public transportation or a ride service to get home safely.

* If you see a drunk driver on the road, contact the Grand Isle County Sheriff’s Department.

* Have a friend who is about to drink and drive? Take the keys away and make arrangements to get your friend home safely.

During the holidays, and every day, please remember that drunk driving isn’t only illegal, it’s deadly.

KEEPING YOU SAFE!!!!

2018 Thanksgiving CIOT Campaign

2018 THANKSGIVING CLICK IT OR TICKET CAMPAIGN

This Thanksgiving, the Grand Isle County Sheriffs’ Department is teaming up with the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on a high-visibility Click It or Ticket campaign to work toward reducing the number of fatalities that occur when vehicle passengers fail to buckle up.

Thanksgiving is one of the busiest travel times of the year. With millions of Americans on the road headed to visit friends and family for the Thanksgiving holiday, it is more essential than ever to ensure all vehicle passengers are buckled up. With more vehicles on the roads, the chances of being involved in a vehicle crash increase greatly. For this reason, law enforcement will be patrolling the streets, looking for unbuckled passengers. If they spot you, they will pull you over and issue a ticket.

The Click It or Ticket campaign is designed to save lives by making sure all drivers and passengers get the message to wear their seat belts. The campaign combines powerful messages about seat belt safety with increased patrolling for all unbuckled motorists.

Wearing a seat belt is the single most effective thing to help prevent you from injury or death in a vehicle crash.  Tragically, over half of the people who died in a fatal traffic crash during Thanksgiving 2016 were not wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash.

During the 2016 Thanksgiving weekend (6 p.m. Wednesday, November 23, to 5:59 a.m. Monday, November 28), 341 people were killed in motor vehicle crashes nationwide. Tragically, 49 percent of those killed were unbuckled, representing a decrease in seat belt use compared to the same weekend in 2015, when 52 percent of those killed in traffic crashes were unrestrained. Nighttime proved even more deadly, with 55 percent of Thanksgiving weekend crashes occurring at night. Much like drunk driving, these deaths represent needless tragedies for families across America. These deaths could have been completely prevented with the simple click of a seat belt.

This Thanksgiving and every day of the year remember to please Click It or Ticket.  Help us keep you safe!

Child Passenger Safety Week 2018

Every day in America, millions of parents and caregivers travel with children in their vehicles. While some children are buckled-in properly in the correct car seats for their ages and sizes – most are not, if they are buckled up at all. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 46 percent of car seats are misused. To help combat this issue, the Grand Isle County Sheriff’s Department announced today its participation in Child Passenger Safety Week, a campaign dedicated to helping parents and caregivers make sure their children ride as safely as possible – every trip, every time. Child Passenger Safety Week runs from September 23-29, 2018 and is sponsored by NHTSA.

Every 33 seconds in 2016, a child under 13 was involved in a passenger vehicle crash. Using car seats that are age- and size-appropriate is the best way to keep your children safe. According to NHTSA, motor vehicle crashes are a leading killer of children, and fatalities are on the rise. Car seats, booster seats, and seat belts can make all the difference. In 2016, there were 328 children under the age of 5 saved because they were in a car seat. Car seats matter and having the right car seat installed and used the right way is critical.

Too often, parents move their children to the front seat before they should, which increases the risk of injury and death even if they are buckled up. The safest place for all kids under 13 is always in the back seat. Also, according to NHTSA, in 2015, about 25.8% of children 4 to 7 who should have been riding in booster seats were prematurely moved to seat belts, and 11.6% were unbuckled altogether.

NHTSA recommends keeping children rear-facing as long as possible, up to the top height and weight allowed by their particular seats. Once a child outgrows the rear-facing-only “infant” car seat, he/she should travel in a rear-facing “convertible” or all-in-one car seat. Once your child outgrows the rear-facing size limits, the child is ready to travel in a forward-facing car seat with a harness and tether. After outgrowing the forward-facing car seat with harness, children should be placed in booster seats until they’re the right size to use seat belts safely.

The Grand Isle County Sheriff’s Department has 3 Certified Child Passenger Safety Technician’s willing to ensure your child’s car seat is installed correctly.  Please call (802)372-4482 for an appointment.

Labor Day Campaign

This Labor Day, and Every Day: Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over

The high-visibility national enforcement campaign, Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over, runs from August 17 through September 3, 2018. During this period, local law enforcement will show zero tolerance for impaired driving. Increased State and national messages about the dangers of driving impaired, coupled with enforcement and increased officers on the road, aim to drastically reduce impaired driving on our nation’s roadways.

The Grand Isle County Sheriff’s Department, in conjunction with the State of Vermont Governor’s Highway Safety Program and U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), will be conducting increased high visibility traffic enforcement to reduce crashes, traffic deaths, injuries, and enforce impaired driving laws to save lives during this campaign. DUI checkpoints will be conducted throughout this campaign as well as DUI high visibility saturation patrols.

Each year, Americans mark the end of summer with the Labor Day holiday weekend, a time to celebrate the hard work and many accomplishments of our country. Friends and families eagerly await pool parties, backyard barbecues, and other occasions to enjoy the last days of summer sunshine. This is also the time of year when our children typically return to school following their summer vacation. Sadly, the Labor Day holiday has also become one of the deadliest, with impaired drivers endangering themselves and others on their way home from these holiday festivities.

Statistics prove that we have a lot of work to do to put an end to impaired driving. According to NHTSA, 10,497 people were killed in impaired-driving crashes in 2016. On average, 10,000 people were killed each year from 2012 to 2016—one person killed every 50 minutes in 2016. That’s the equivalent of 20 jumbo jets crashing each year, with no survivors.

There is a small, silver lining: During the 2016 Labor Day holiday, 36 percent of fatalities in traffic crashes involved an impaired driver, which was one of the lowest percentages over the five-year period from 2012 to 2016.

As of 08/01/2018, 35 people died on Vermont highways compared to 29 deaths at this time last year. Driver impairment, speed, failure to use safety restraints and distracted driving continue to be the leading causes for these tragedies.

High visibility enforcement has been the key to success in Grand Isle County evident in minimal law enforcement response to serious injury crashes or fatalities. Please continue to help us prevent senseless tragedies!

4th of July Campaign

MAINTAIN YOUR INDEPENDENCE THIS INDEPENDENCE DAY:

DRIVE SOBER OR GET PULLED OVER

Each year on July 4th, Americans celebrate the birth and freedoms of this country. Before you head out for your celebrations, make sure you plan for a sober way home. The Grand Isle County Sheriff’s Department is taking part in the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign during the Fourth of July holiday weekend, June 29-July 5, 2018, to put an end to drunk driving. In support of law enforcement’s dedication to protecting the lives of residents in their communities, you’ll see increased enforcement on the roads with zero tolerance for those who drive impaired.

Nationwide, during the 2016 Fourth of July holiday (6 p.m. July 2 to 5:59 a.m. July 6), 188 people were killed in crashes involving at least one driver or motorcycle operator with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 or higher. This is a 28-percent increase from 2015, during which 146 people were killed during the same holiday period. That’s 188 families who will forever remember Independence Day with a heavy heart and nightmarish memories.

Under no circumstances is it ever acceptable to get behind the wheel of a vehicle after you’ve been drinking. Doing so endangers you, and everyone on the road with you. If you’re heading to Fourth of July parties this summer, remember: Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over.”

Prepare for the Fourth – tips for a safe family holiday on the roads:

• Remember that it is never okay to drink and drive. Even if you’ve had only one alcoholic beverage, designate a sober driver or plan to use public transportation or a ride sharing service to get home safely.
• If you see a drunk driver on the road, contact the Grand Isle County Sheriff’s Department (802-372-4482 during normal business hours or 802-524-5993 anytime).
• Have a friend who is about to drink and drive? Take the keys away and make arrangements to get your friend home safely.

The Costs of Drunk Driving

Impaired driving is dangerous, even if you’re “just buzzed.” When you drive impaired, you risk your life and safety, and the lives and safety of those riding with you and around you. Does death not get your attention? Maybe money will: A DUI arrest could cost you up to $10,000, not to mention the loss of your vehicle and driver’s license. You could face jail time, higher insurance rates, and hefty expenses from attorney fees, fines, car towing, repairs, and lost time at work. Imagine trying to explain that to your family, friends, or employer.

This Fourth of July, commit to only driving 100-percent sober. Don’t lose your independence on Independence Day, and don’t be a deadly risk to yourself and other innocent people.

Remember: Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over & Buzzed Driving is Impaired Driving!!!

Click It or Ticket Campaign Starts May 21

Click It or Ticket Campaign Starts May 21

Grand Isle County Sheriff’s Department will show zero tolerance

As the unofficial start of summer, the Memorial Day holiday weekend is a busy time for Americans. Each year, the highways fill with families in vehicles, on their way to start their summer vacations. To help keep drivers and passengers stay safe, the Grand Isle County Sheriff’s Department is reminding motorists to Click It or Ticket. Aimed at enforcing seat belt use to help keep families safe, the national seat belt campaign will take place May 21 through June 3, concurrent with the busy travel season.

“Buckling up is such a simple task that can keep you and your family safe in the car,” said Sheriff Allen. “But it’s more than that. Buckling up is the law. Our law enforcement personnel see the consequences of not buckling up. We see the loss of life. Often, it could have been prevented with the simple click of a seat belt. This should be automatic.”

“As the Memorial Day weekend approaches and the summer vacation season ramps up, we want to keep our community members safe, and make sure people are doing the one thing that can save them in a crash: buckling up,” said Sheriff Allen.  “If the enforcement crackdown wakes people up to the dangers of unrestrained driving, we’ll consider it a success.”

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, nearly half (48%) of the passenger vehicle occupants killed in crashes in 2016 were unrestrained. At night from 6 p.m. to 5:59 a.m., that number soared to 56 percent of those killed. That’s why one focus of the Click It or Ticket campaign is nighttime enforcement. Participating law enforcement agencies will be taking a no-excuses approach to seat belt law enforcement, writing citations day and night.

Almost twice as many males were killed in crashes as compared to females, with lower belt use rates, too. Of the males killed in crashes in 2016, more than half (52%) were unrestrained. For females killed in crashes, 40 percent were not buckled up.

“If you know a friend or a family member who does not buckle up when they drive, please ask them to consider changing their habits,” said Sheriff Allen. “Help us spread this life-saving message before one more friend or family member is killed as a result of this senseless inaction. Seat belts save lives, and everyone—front seat and back, child and adult—needs to remember to buckle up—every trip, every time.”

KEEPING YOU SAFE

Superbowl Campaign

Don’t Fumble: Tackle Drunk Driving Before the Clock Starts

Kickoff on America’s favorite pastime is just about ready to start. For many football fans, when it’s time for Super Bowl LII, everyone’s a fan…and Fans Don’t Let Fans Drive Drunk.

The Grand Isle County Sheriff’s Department and local law enforcement officials are huddling up with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for a special Fans Don’t Let Fans Drive Drunk reminder to urge football fans across the nation not to drop the ball on this issue.

In all states, drivers are considered alcohol-impaired if they have a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 or higher. Drunk driving can be deadly, and even small amounts of alcohol can impair judgement to make driving unsafe. In 2016, there were 10,497 fatalities in motor vehicle traffic crashes involving drunk drivers. Among the 10,497 alcohol-impaired-driving fatalities, 67 percent (7,052) were in crashes in which at least one driver had a BAC of .15, almost twice the legal limit.

Be sure to have a game plan for the night so friends and family know who the designated driver is. Please give your keys to a sober driver – our vote for game MVP – before you begin drinking. Sober designated drivers should be sure to carry the ball and refrain from drinking alcohol.

This Super Bowl weekend, be a team player and help keep impaired drivers from getting behind the wheel. Don’t fumble! Designate your sober driver before the big game begins. And remember: Fans Don’t Let Fans Drive Drunk.