Letters" Exercise safe driving out ­ on the road this summer

With the long-awaited summer season finally here, many are enjoying summer travels. The Safe Communities Coalition reminds drivers and passengers of two rules that will help everyone stay safe on the roadways. Rule No. 1: Buckle up. Buckling up is the single most effective thing you can do to protect yourself in a crash, as well as protect yourself against impaired, aggressive, and distracted drivers. From 2004 to 2008, seat belts saved more than 75,000 lives — enough to fill a large sports arena. Developing the habit of buckling up every time you are in a vehicle will also protect you from getting a ticket.

Rule No. 2: Never drink and drive. It is simply not worth the risk. Drunk driving kills. In 2009, 45 people lost their lives in alcohol-related crashes in North Dakota. Not only do you risk injuring or killing yourself and others, but the financial consequences of a DUI are serious. One DUI conviction can change your life. The meter starts running the minute you are arrested and can total more than $10,000 — and this does not account for lost opportunities, loss of employment, loss of freedom and the potential loss of life.

The average number of DUI arrests annually in North Dakota is 5,317. During the past 10 years, males have averaged 78.1 percent of the arrests. Motorcyclists in particular are at risk when it comes to mixing alcohol and driving. There is little room for forgiveness with driving errors when cycling, and even small amounts of alcohol can influence balance. The number of motorcycle deaths in North Dakota tripled from 2006 to 2008.

Driving with a blood alcohol content of .08 or higher is illegal in every state. Yet we continue to see a tragic number of people with debilitating injuries and deaths as a result of impaired driving. This careless disregard for human life must stop.

To help ensure that happens, law enforcement agencies throughout North Dakota are dedicated to arresting impaired drivers whenever and wherever they find them. Alcohol-related injuries and deaths are 100 percent preventable. For you and your family’s health and safety, support law enforcement and their efforts to stop impaired driving. Make the decision now to never drink and drive. Teach your children to respect the rules of the road and the dangers of riding with someone who has been drinking, and report all suspected drunk drivers by calling 911.

Kasey Skalicky

Valley City, N.D.

(Skalicky is the Safe Communities coordinator for the Sheyenne Valley Safe Communities Coalition)

Tags: opinion, letters, driving