Gov. Heineman Announces 48 Drunk Driving Enforcement Grants

(Lincoln, Neb.) Breakdown of Awarded Grants - Gov. Dave Heineman today announced nearly $300,000 in grants from federal highway safety funds to Nebraska law enforcement agencies to participate in the state’s ‘You Drink and Drive, You Lose’ effort.

The campaign is a nationwide drunk driving enforcement. In Nebraska, 26 police departments, 21 sheriffs’ offices, the Nebraska State Patrol, and the Nebraska Game and Parks Enforcement have been awarded grants for a mobilization targeting impaired drivers beginning today and continuing through Monday, September 1.

The $300,000 in funds will provide approximately 10,000 hours of additional traffic enforcement during the mobilization period. Grants provide support for additional dispatch personnel and higher operational costs for patrol vehicles during special enforcements. Grants are awarded by the Nebraska Office of Highway Safety, and provide funding for sobriety check points, patrols of state recreational areas, underage party patrols, and other operations targeting impaired driving behavior.

“Last year, 91 individuals were killed and 1,459 were injured in alcohol-related crashes in Nebraska,” Gov. Heineman said. “Many men and women from law enforcement agencies across the state will be giving special attention during this mobilization effort to prevent crashes and to identifying and apprehending those motorists that fail to obey the law.”

The Nebraska State Patrol will use nearly $26,000 in grant funding for 535 hours of overtime during the enforcement period.

Col. Bryan Tuma, Superintendent of the Nebraska State Patrol, said, “Through directed patrolling and high visibility enforcement efforts, our troopers will be working hard to remove impaired drivers from our roads.    We are asking motorists to do their part.  Always wear your seat belt and never driver impaired.”

Beverly Neth, director of the Department of Motor Vehicles, said, “In addition to the enforcement during the two week period, there will be a high visibility media campaign taking place. Research and practice reveals that these high visibility enforcements, when combined with an intensive media campaign, are effective at reducing the incidence of impaired driving.”

In 2007, Nebraska law enforcement officers arrested 13,437 drivers for driving under the influence.