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Fountain City Officer Jason Mork and Alma Police Chief Roger Engel said they’ll be spending more time on the lookout for impaired drivers between next week and Labor Day under a federally funded initiative called Over the Limit, Under Arrest.
Engel said the message to drivers is simple: “No matter what you drive, vehicle or motorcycle, if we stop you and you’re operating while impaired, we will arrest you without exception.”
Wisconsin police intend to make an impression, embarrassed by statistics that show Wisconsin with the highest rate of drunken drivers of all 50 states. A federal government survey reported that 26 percent of state adults admitted to getting behind the wheel under the influence in the past year.
“Wisconsin’s notoriety and behavior as a beer-consuming state is no doubt a factor in the prevalence of impaired driving,” Mork said.
If stopped for drunken driving, you’ll be arrested and taken to jail. If convicted, fines, fees and other costs approach $800 for a first offense. Insurance rates go up, and some drivers loose their licenses.
State officials report that 337 people were killed in alcohol-related accidents in Wisconsin last year. More than 5,500 were injured.
