Drunk Drivers and Radar Guns on New Year's Eve

Just because it looks like local police won't have electronic means to catch speeders come Jan. 1, it doesn't mean motorists — especially New Year's Eve revelers — will have an advantage once the clock hits 12:01 a.m.

One of the fallouts from the ongoing dispute over services between Gwinnett city and the county leaders is that the permits needed for police forces in Gwinnett to use radar or lasers to catch speeders will expire at the end of today (See story).

But local police officials say that won't make it easier for drunk drivers to break the law after the party.

According to the public information officers for Lilburn and Gwinnett, determining a DUI shouldn't be affected.

"Radars and lasers are good tools for traffic enforcement, but they are not the only way it gets done," said Gwinnett PD Public Information Officer Cpl. Jake Smith. 

Speeding can be one trait of a drunk driver, but other careless factors such as swerving into another lane or running a red light are common drunk driving mistakes, too. 

"The DUI investigation mostly takes place after the vehicle has been stopped for those violations," Smith said. "[The absence of radar or lasers] may change the way some officers initiate traffic stops, but it will not prevent DUI enforcement."

Smith added, "Most DUI arrests are made after the officer actually observes the suspect vehicle violate a traffic law. As often as not, it is something simple like drifting over a lane line or rolling through a stop sign."

Lilburn's public information officer, Capt. Bruce Hedley concurs. He believes that the radar gun is an important tool in keeping drunk drivers off the road, but there are other violations that will lead police officers to the same individuals.

"It will affect operations and the way we monitor traffic," Hedley said. "I don't think public safety is diminished, but it can be affected."

Even without radar guns on one of the busiest nights of the year, Gwinnett PD will have about 20 additional officers in the Gwinnett area patrolling the streets. Georgia State Patrol officers are expected to be in the area, too, along with a fully staffed precincts and specialized units such as the Crime Suppression Unit and the Community Emergency Response Teams. Expect road sobriety check points, too.

"Everyone will be paying special attention to traffic and DUIs on New Year's Eve in an effort to keep motorists safe," said  Smith.

According to the Governor's Office of Highway Safety, drunk driving is what makes the winter holidays one of the most dangerous times of the year to be out on the road. The numbers reveal the frightening reality; in Georgia, during the month of December 2009, 753 people died in crashes involving a driver with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 or higher.

The state's Operation Zero Tolerance holiday enforcement crackdown continues through Jan 2. The campaign is a joint effort between the GOHS and hundreds of highway safety partners aimed at keeping Georgia highways and roads safe for travelers during the holiday season. This is the fifth consecutive holiday season thousands of traffic enforcement officers are banding together in the national "Over the Limit, Under Arrest" DUI enforcement campaign.

"Our message is clear," said GOHS Director Bob Dallas. "No matter who you are, what you drive or where you drive it, when you're caught driving impaired, you will be arrested. No warnings. No excuses. No exceptions."

If you plan to celebrate and party, follow these three simple tips to stay alive and out of jail:

1. Ask someone to be the designated driver for you or your group

2. Plan to take a taxi

3. Make arrangements to spend the night

"So remember, whether you've had way too many or just one too many, it's not worth the risk." Dallas said. "Get a designated driver. Don't let 2010 end in an arrest or even worse for you."

Click here (GOHS) for more information about Operation Zero Tolerance.

If you do plan to drink on New Year's Eve but end up with no designated driver, call a taxi. AAA offers a free service called Tow To Go, where AAA drivers will drive individuals and their car home. All members and non-members have to do is call their phone number, 1-800-AAA-HELP.