The Carson City Sheriff's Office will maintain a highly visible presence on the city's roadways during the New Year holiday, which begins at 6 p.m. Friday, Dec. 28 and ends at 11:59 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 2.
Sheriff's deputies will be out in force during this time period and will conduct saturation patrols to detect, arrest and prosecute impaired drivers to the fullest extent of the law.
The Carson City Sheriff's Office will coordinate its efforts in areas that seem to be statistically prone to traffic accidents and will include the downtown area, which includes both high vehicle and foot traffic. This event will be a comprehensive prevention effort focused on providing highly visible traffic enforcement to prevent impaired driving.
The Sheriff's Office has always had a Zero Tolerance stance on impaired driving, which is against the law and there are no warnings or second chances given. Driving with a blood alcohol content of .08 can result in immediate arrest, even for a first offense. Impaired drivers can lose their license, lose time from their jobs and subsequently income because of fines and high court costs. Repeat offends can also face imprisonment.
Citizens are always welcome to assist in keeping streets safe by reporting drivers suspected of being impaired. Please call and report any suspected impaired drivers to the Carson City Dispatch Center, (775) 887-2008. In an emergency you can dieal 911 and provide a direction of travel, vehicle description, license plate number, if possible. And you can remain anonymous.
Please help the Sheriff's Department with these efforts by making arrangements for a sober ride home, by reporting suspected impaired drivers and always wearing seat belts. Together we can usher in 2013 with zero fatalities and ensure everyone makes it home safe.
— Writer Darrin Sloan is a Traffic Sergeant for the Carson City Sheriff's Office. He can be reached at dsloan@carson.org