Long Holiday Weekend Brings Emphasized Warnings Against Drunk Driving

Drunk driving is even more of a concern this year with New Year’s celebrations expected to occur on Friday, Saturday, and even Sunday nights.

McMinnville Police Department’s Mark Mara said that in order to keep everyone safe, it’s important to plan ahead with your celebrations.

“It’s discouraging because it doesn’t matter if they’re caught by us,” Mara said. “But if they’re involved in a crash, they’re going to be hurting somebody or killing somebody and it’s not them, it’s the other people.”

Mara said that the worst mistake someone can make is making the choice to drink and drive, or allowing a loved one to make that choice. He said that if you suspect someone is about to make a dangerous decision, alert the local authorities.

Mara said depending on your location, there will be several options to prepare a safe ride home including Uber, Lyft, and through the UCHRA. He said the McMcMinnville Police Department will have additional patrols this holiday weekend to ensure everyone is keeping both themselves and others safe.

“Be aware of your surroundings when you’re driving, be cautious of other vehicles and expect them to do the unexpected,” Mara said. “If you see someone and they’re not driving safely, call 911 and report to the dispatcher the vehicle, the license plate number, your location, and tell them what they’re doing that you think is bad driving and we will get officers out there to try and do an effective and successful traffic stop.”