NEWS RELEASE: November 24, 2008
FROM: The Kansas Highway Patrol
CONTACT: Technical Trooper Edna Buttler (785) 296-6800
Tie A Red Ribbon On For Safety
Beginning November 27, the Kansas Highway Patrol will display red ribbons on agency-owned vehicles in an effort to heighten public awareness to the dangers of impaired drivers during the holiday season. As part of the Project Red Ribbon Tie One On For Safety campaign, sponsored by Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), the Patrol is encouraging the public to become actively involved in the fight against impaired driving by tying a red ribbon to a visible place on their vehicle such as the antenna or side mirror. Typically, the incidence of impaired driving is most prevalent from Thanksgiving through New Year's Day.
"These red ribbons emphasize the Kansas Highway Patrol's zero tolerance for impaired driving and also raise awareness of our education initiatives on impaired driving," Patrol Superintendent Colonel Terry Maple said. "Our commitment to safety on the roadways is our number one priority and these ribbons serve as reminders of the dangers that impaired driving poses to Kansans, as well as others traveling on our nation's roads."
Last year in the state of Kansas, almost 30 percent of the fatality crashes involved alcohol. Each year more than 1,000 people are killed nationally in alcohol-related crashes between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day. More than 2,000 people are killed nationally in alcohol-related crashes and/or crashes where safety belts were not used.
Seatbelts can be your best defense if you are involved in a crash, that's why it's important to remember to buckle up, anytime, day or night, no matter where you are going. In 2007, 62 percent of those killed in fatality crashes on Kansas roads were not properly restrained.
The Patrol reminds motorists not to drink and drive, do not let your friends or family members drive impaired, and never ride with someone who has been drinking. If you do consume alcohol, call a friend, family member, or taxi service for a sober ride home. If you are going to holiday parties or are going to be out celebrating, make sure to designate a sober driver at the beginning of the evening. If you are traveling on the roads, and are concerned that another motorist might be impaired, you can use your cell phone to dial *47 (*HP) on the highways or *582 (*KTA) on the Kansas Turnpike to reach your nearest highway patrol dispatcher.
MADD ribbons are available free of charge and while supplies last at Kansas Highway Patrol troop headquarter facilities throughout the state. Those locations can be found online at www.KansasHighwayPatrol.org. Any red ribbon 18 inches in length can also be used by those wishing to demonstrate a zero tolerance of impaired driving.