With the holiday season here, the Mississippi Departmentof Public Safety, the Mississippi Highway Patrol and statewide lawenforcement are preparing to stop drinking and driving, the numberone cause of traffic fatalities.

 

    Jon Kalahar, public affairs director for the Department of PublicSafety, said December is the worst month for traffic accidents fora variety of reasons, including holiday parties, students being outof school and frequent traveling.

    Overall, traffic fatalities have been on a decline since 2005,dropping from 936 to 641 last year. However, a large portion ofthose fatalities are caused by alcohol.

    In 2010, 231 of the fatalities were alcohol-related. Kalahar saidtransportation safety officials believe that number can be loweredor completely stopped.

    Kalahar said there will be roadblocks and checkpoints set up acrossthe state to keep the roads safe.

    “If you get pulled over with a DUI, you go to jail automatically,”he said.

“You don’t get a third or fourthchance.”

    As of Dec. 15, the number of traffic fatalities for 2011 was at600. Kalahar said it is likely the number will lower again for thesixth year, but there are still a lot of holiday parties left inthe year.

    Kalahar said it is important for people to buckle up, put down thecellphone, slow down and watch for the other people on the road. Hesaid people tend to break the rules because they think they can getaway with it.

    Twyla Jennings, division director II in the Division of PublicSafety Planning, said people think they are too good at driving tohave a bad accident happen to them.

    “No one leaves home thinking ‘I’m going to have a wreck today,'”she said. “No one ever had a drink and said ‘I’m going to go outand kill someone tonight.'”

    Kalahar said if a driver is under the influence, the best situationis that he or she gets pulled over because a DUI arrest getsimpaired drivers off the road and allows others to be safer.

    The Department of Public Safety has said even one drink is too manyto have before driving. Kalahar said drivers should understand thatnot consuming any alcohol before getting behind the wheel is themost cautious choice, especially considering the cost of a DUI.

    A DUI always results in a suspended or revoked license, which cancause some people to lose their job. Then, there are court costsand lawyers fees, and, by then, the cost is over $10,000.

    On top of that hefty sum are any hospital costs due to anaccident.

    Kalahar said it is important for people to designate a driverbefore leaving. Safety officials have also encouragedestablishments to offer incentives for designated drivers, such asfree soft drinks.