SOUTHERN UTAH — Utah Highway Patrol troopers on the DUI squad are gearing up for a big influx of traffic now that Spring Break is around the corner, which also increases the possibility that some drivers might be impaired.
The DUI squad made its semi-annual trek to southern Utah recently with a specific objective in mind – to enhance DUI enforcement by saturating the area with troopers on the lookout for drunk or impaired drivers, Lt. Paul Kotter, UHP Bureau Commander said.
The specially trained team arrived in Washington and Iron counties Feb 19 for the weekend and troopers hope drivers noticed.
The DUI squad is a specialized UHP unit consisting of 12 troopers who are not dispatched by a communications center, have no designated area of patrol, nor do they run records checks with every traffic stop.
Troopers also say there is a difference in the number of suspected drunk drivers between Friday and Saturday night. Typically the number of traffic stops on the second night is less because word gets around that there’s a heavy police presence and many don’t want to risk it, he said.
“Troopers noticed an increased number of taxis out on the road and a higher number of vehicles left in parking lots of various drinking establishments,” he said.
“The squad has grown,” Winward said. “Since its inception the number of troopers dedicated to this unit has doubled.”
According to a study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control, the key to effectively prevent drunk driving is to coordinate concentrated efforts by involving coalitions or task forces.
The CDC also reported a gradual reduction in alcohol-related traffic accidents and fatalities, however they still account for 31 percent of all traffic-related deaths. The report also showed that drunk drivers got behind the wheel over 100 million times last year alone.
According to Utah law, a person may not operate or be in actual physical control of a vehicle if there is sufficient alcohol in their body that a chemical test shows the person has a blood or breath alcohol concentration of .08 grams or greater at the time of the test.
“The biggest, number one goal obviously, is that we want people to return home safely,” UHP Sgt. Ben Fallows said. “We do that by DUI enforcement.”
Resources:
- 41-6a-502 – Driving under the influence of alcohol, drugs, or a combination of both
- Center for Disease Control, CDC – Impaired Driving: Get the Facts
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UHP Trooper Charity Thomas making a stop during sting operation, St. George, Utah, Feb. 20, 2015| Photo by Cody Blowers, St. George News L-R, Sgt. Ben Fallows, Captain Steven Winward, Trooper Charity Thomas, Lt. Paul Kotter, DUI Squad, St. George, Utah, Feb. 20, 2016| Photo by Cody Blowers, St. George News Trooper Charity Thomas making traffic stop, St. George, Utah, Feb. 20, 2016| Photo by Cody Blowers, St. George News DUI squad patrol vehicles are parked and ready for action, Washington, Utah, Feb. 20, 2016 | Photo by Cody Blowers, St. George News
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Oh great, more cops on the road watching my every move just waiting for me to make a tiny infraction and become a criminal. Oh well, at least the local doughnut shops will be happy.
Would you rather have more drunk drivers or cops on the road?
Okay, that’s funny Billy Madison! Hopefully, they will concentrate on aggressive driving and other illegal driving infractions such as passing in “no passing” zones and excessive speed instead of just the high revenue DWI infraction.
Billy Madison, what donut shops are you talking about in St. George?
They also need a texting squad. In the last week, I almost got swerved into by a young man clearly and openly texting in the lane next to me, a woman texting behind me almost didn’t stop at the red light I was stopped at.
I have been known to get license plate numbers and call the SGPD and have actually signed complaints to have texting drivers cited. The officers actually thank me for doing this. I will continue to do this with texting drivers.