ZION NATIONAL PARK – In an effort to ensure a safe and fun holiday for all visitors, Zion National Park will enhance the enforcement of impaired driving over the Fourth of July weekend through expanded DUI checkpoints and increased road patrols.
Impaired driving crashes killed more than 10,000 people in 2010, accounting for 31 percent of all traffic-related deaths in the United States; an average of one alcohol-impaired driving fatality every 51 minutes.
The amount of deaths from impaired driving spike around the Fourth of July. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 392 people were killed in motor vehicle traffic crashes during the 2010 Fourth of July holiday weekend.
Zion National Park’s enforcement is aimed to keep all visitors, local residents and wildlife safe on the park’s roads. Impaired driving in Zion is especially dangerous due to the narrow roads, steep drop-offs and sharp turns.
“Alcohol impairs many of the skills that safe driving requires, especially on the unique roadways within (the park,)” Park Superintendent Jock Whitworth said. “In an effort to protect visitors and park resources, we will show zero tolerance, and anyone caught driving with a blood alcohol content of .08 or higher will be arrested.”
Park rangers wish for all visitors to have an enjoyable Fourth of July weekend. This should include driving safe and sober or appointing a designated driver for those who have over- indulged.
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Submitted by: Zion National Park
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