Extra DUI patrols nab 1,600 Wash. drivers
LONGVIEW, Wash. (AP) - Police across Washington state arrested more than 1,600 people during a recent drunken-driving enforcement campaign.
The Daily News of Longview reports that according to statistics from the Washington Traffic Safety Commission, 1,603 drivers got busted during this summer's "Drive Hammered, Get Nailed" campaign.
The emphasis patrols ran from Aug. 17 to Sept. 3.
A grant from the Traffic Safety Commission paid for the extra patrols. The commission says August is typically one of the deadliest months on Washington's roads.
The Daily News of Longview reports that according to statistics from the Washington Traffic Safety Commission, 1,603 drivers got busted during this summer's "Drive Hammered, Get Nailed" campaign.
The emphasis patrols ran from Aug. 17 to Sept. 3.
A grant from the Traffic Safety Commission paid for the extra patrols. The commission says August is typically one of the deadliest months on Washington's roads.
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 @CIAassassin Well, CIA, I hope you and your gf didn't drive while intoxicated. Â
But there's still no accountability for the drivers if they just pay a ticket and do class which is usually ignored. DUI is a violent offense.
 @FreeCoffeeNow! I bet 90% of us have drove drunk at one point in our lives. The only exception are those that never drink or have never driven. If you've gone out to a bar and didn't take a cab home or have a friend drive you home you are a "violent" drunk driver.Â
 @FremontTroll  @FreeCoffeeNow! you're correct, and I am not proud of doing this in my younger days. Now I just stay home if I'm going to drink. Last time I had a designated driver, she got wasted and I had to drive her car home. Never again.
I think that bar's should get together and start a bus service in rural areas, and that in the cities, you should take a cab or the bus.
It's a start and probably saved some lives, nice work but don't stop!
With those kinds of numbers makes a sober driver really think about the person next to him or coming at you on a two lane highway..
Wow, an average of 94 + people a day? I wonder how many are repeat offenders?
Now make it hurt! Texters next!
yeah..yeah, yeah, yeah..blah blah blah....and all of you high and mighties continue to flap your gums on your cell phones and text while driving which results in more accidents and injuries than drivers that drink & drive....sure it makes you feel good to post these comments and hope the courts make these individuals burn in hell...quit being hypocrritical...of course drinking and driving is wrong and people shoule be held accountable....how about people wait until they are not driving to talk on the cell or text.....
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icebox Â
 @None I completely agree.  Everyday on 167 I see multiple close calls...  in the morning.  Not from drunk drivers.  But from people on cell phones.  People too self involved to understand why it's important to signal before changing lanes.  People going under the speed limit in the passing lane.  Drunk drivers are a problem, sure.  Yet I find sober drivers who apparently don't know how to drive to be a bigger road hazard. Â
Hope they will do that everyday,then we will feel much safer !
Good job WSP!!! Now, face your consequences and pay up!Â
"A grant from the Traffic Safety Commission paid for the extra patrols. The commission says August is typically one of the deadliest months on Washington's roads."
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Increase the fines for DUI's and earmark some of the monies collected from the fines to extra patrols so they pay for themselves. 1,600 arrests over a 17 day period is insane; I'm guessing that's only a fraction of the actual number of DUI's on the road.
Outstanding! Now that you've busted them, prosecute fully. Make it hurt, badly, and maybe more people will think before they get behind the wheel. I'm sick to death of hearing about innocent folks being hit and killed by people who have had too much to drink, have multiple DUIs, and were still driving because they ignored the fact that their license was suspended or were allowed to keep their license due to the "hardship" it would create if it were suspended. Waaahhhh!
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Mike
@MikeCoomer I fully agree with you. I had my car totalled by one of these repeat offenders a month ago...DUI...suspended license....no insurance...repeat offender. (8 traffic violations on his record) and that night he was fined $500 bucks and sent home. He should be in JAIL! His next victim could be killed...harsher penalties for this crap.
I wish the focus was permanent, rather than temporary. My ex-gf lived in Bellingham for several years, and she told me if you were from there and didnt have at least one DUI, then you were unusual (she had three DUIs).
I think DUI is one of the "minor" law violations in Emperor Zero's Executive Order.
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http://big.assets.huffingtonpost.com/MEMO.pdf
 @Sid Vishess ...or in the Court of Bobbe Bridge?
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I'm afraid you might be right.
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When I read Napoleon's memo, I found the sentence "many of these young people have already contributed to this country in significant ways" interesting.
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Yes! Significant! Such as obtaining taxpayer funded benefits and monies to which they are not entitled.
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But, of course, that's kind of off topic.
Hope I am wrong.
This is nuts. People are so dumb.....
http://www.centurycouncil.org/sites/default/files/files/Saving-Lives-for-20-Years.gif
Wow. 1600 arrests in just 17 days. Those are only the ones that were caught! Imagine how many more there were out there. does this include the Snohomish County judge who refused the FST?
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What's that say about the rest of the time?
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Can you imagine if this state allowed DUI checkpoints?Â
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The bucks could be rolling in by just hanging around anywhere within a five mile radius of a casino, concert, winery, etc...
Good job. Now go get the other 90% still no the road. Hopefully these get more than just a light slap on the wrist. This needs to stop!!
It is disturbing no matter how much education, destroyed lives, white crosses on the roads, that so many selfish pig headed people still drive under the influence.
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Laws need to become draconian apparently.
 @pbs7mm Well said, pbs7mm.
 @pbs7mm I dont believe its selfishness that is the cause, its the inability to realize your limit for drinking. If you can sit there and say to yourself "I think Im okay to drive", you probably arent. Perhaps its egotism or self confidence issues that make people think its a sign of weakness to call for a ride (another friend or a taxi) but its a sign of maturity and intelligence by making that call.
Now go out and get 16000 more!!!!!
Really glad to see the crackdown. Now they need something much more than a slap on the wrist such as our state seems so prone to handing out!
 @Crashbox the problem is that DUI is a money generator otherwise lawmakers would be harder on DUI offenses. Then again they offend too.Â
I read somewhere awhile back that between 1am and 4am 1 in 5 drivers are drunk....
In other words, 1600 who don't, and never will get it. Scary thing is, with numbers like that, how many did it and weren't caught......
Keep up the good work. Â Â Don't stop now.
Now this is an effort that this tax payer very much supports!!  As a former firefighter who has personally witnessed much carnage, many of which took the lives of young children, I have ZERO sympathy for drunk drivers!  The penalties need to be made much worse as well.  Great job WSP!!
 @Anselm Thanks for your service and the value of your perspective here on this.Â
This is a bunch of BS. Multiple friends have gotten DUI this last month 2 of which were under the legal limit.Â
 @sam Legal Limit isn't the only end-all-be-all aspect. Plenty of people drive impaired who are below the number. That us buzzed driving and is also an issue.Â
 @sam The offense is for driving impaired. The blood alcohol test is substantiating evidence. It is not necessary to exceed the .08 limit if other evidence supports the impaired charge.
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Defending drunk drivers is a fools errand.
 @sam If they had alcohol in their bloodstream, too bad. And if they were really below the legal limit, then they'll have their day in court.  Maybe you should be a true friend and tell your friends to not drive after they've been drinking.Â