RISKY REVELRY: For those who drive drunk on New Year’s Eve, costs can quickly pile up

HANCOCK COUNTY — While most people look forward to ringing in a new year, how you celebrate could put a damper on the occasion.

Impaired driving is a harsh reality of holiday celebrations, as many will disregard warnings and get behind the wheel. Statistics show deaths as a result of impaired driving increase during this time of the year, particularly in the early-morning hours following a night of partying.

While law enforcement will be out in force looking for any signs of trouble, officials note the best way to avoid getting pulled over is to drive sober.

“Drunk and drugged driving arrests are at their highest between Thanksgiving and the end of New Year’s weekend,” Prosecutor Brent Eaton said.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, one person in the United States dies every 48 minutes in a drunken driving crash, claiming more than 10,000 lives per year.

In 2019, 106 people were killed in alcohol-related collisions in Indiana, accounting for 13% of the state’s traffic fatalities. The Indiana University Public Policy Institute reported in 2019 the highest percentage of fatal and incapacitating injuries happened most often between the hours of midnight and 4 a.m. and particularly on the weekends, with the highest hourly rates of crashes involving impaired drivers occurring on Sundays between 3 and 4 a.m.

Capt. Robert Harris, public information officer for the Hancock County Sheriff’s Department, said the department will have plenty of deputies on patrol on New Year’s Eve. Members of the Underage Drinking Task Force will also be on the alert.

“We also ask that drivers call to report any possible impaired drivers they see on the roads,” Harris said.

Chuck McMichael, deputy chief and public information officer for the Greenfield Police Department, said the consequences of driving while under the influence are not worth the risk.

“It is so easy to get a ride these days with ride-shares,” he said.

Police say those who are hosting a party where alcohol is being consumed should make sure those who are drinking don’t drive and to have a designated driver available to take people home if needed.

“No one wants to see officers at their door in the middle of the night,” McMichael said. “That news is never good. Don’t have your family start 2022 with a tragedy.”

GPD plans to have officers on the street as usual looking for impaired drivers.

Eaton and police leaders also want to remind drivers that in addition to the risk of serious injury or death, drunken driving carries other serious — and expensive — consequences.

“If you are arrested for operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated, you will be handcuffed and taken to jail,” Eaton said. Vehicles typically are searched and then likely will towed at the owner’s expense.

Standard procedure is for suspected drunken drivers to submit to a breath test. “If you refuse, your license will automatically be suspended for one year,” Eaton said.

The legal measure of impairment is still 0.08 blood-alcohol content. Drivers who hit that threshold will have to post bail after being booked into the jail, adding to the likely financial costs of making a poor decision. Those unable to post bail stay in jail.

“And those are just the consequences for arrest,” Eaton said.

If convicted, an offender will have to pay court costs and fees in excess of approximately $750. There may also be a jail sentence and a possible fine. Some drivers also lose their license, which can threaten their ability to work. Offenders may also be required to attend drug and alcohol classes, and they may be required to submit to random drug screens.

“These possible penalties increase substantially for second and third-time offenses,” Eaton said.

On top of the consequences, Eaton noted drivers under the influence put others at great risk of harm. Causing an accident that results in death or injury could lead to felony charges and a lengthy prison sentence.

“The consequence for a poor decision could not only be costly and burdensome, it could also result in serious injury or death to you, a loved one, or someone else,” Eaton said.